Before now, there have been concerns that the COVID-19 positive patient who died at the hospital that did not disclose his status nor travel history during his treatment might have infected some doctors, nurses and other health workers at LUTH.

But its Chief Medical Director (CMD), Professor Chris Bode, said that COVID-19 was a global scourge, adding, “Whether the patient declare his or status or not we are supposed to offer treatment, which we will always do.

“We had decided to take all precautions. When he was admitted most doctors and nurses did not get close to him because they had suspected it was a potential case. Only about two doctors got close to him and are being followed up. Others kept the mandatory two metres distance because they all knew this could be COVID-19.”

Bode said LUTH’s Virology Laboratory was internationally recognised and was the first to confirm the disease in Nigeria while more than 30 LUTH personnel have been assisting the Lagos Team in various capacities till date.

He explained that LUTH now has more than 120 warriors and volunteers who have trained and were ready to be deployed and that they had earlier identified the four Wards on the newly rehabilitated Block B as suitable for an isolation centre, while efforts were in progress to secure enough resources and consumables for them to admit and treat Nigerians afflicted with COVID-19 in LUTH.

“Working closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), we have enough materials to work with and have also suitably modified the wards to commence admissions from the afternoon of Monday April 6, 2020 in LUTH,” he added.