The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has said the Federal Government discovered that 50 percent of Nigerians who died from COVID-19 died in their homes and 50 percent also did not show any symptoms of the disease.
Ehanire cautioned Nigerians to strictly observe the COVID-19 health regulations during Eid-el-Fitri celebration, saying “wash your hands constantly with soap under running water and do not go to large gatherings”.
The minister stated this in a statement signed on Friday by the ministry’s Director of Information, Media and Public Relations, Eunice Akro.
He said, “Ehanire said that findings from the analysis of the deaths show that nearly half of them died at home.
“Of those who died at home, about 50 percent did not show any symptoms. This underscores my earlier emphasis on the need for those who test positive to report for treatment.”
Meanwhile, the National Hospital Abuja, on Friday said the Ministry of Health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had reviewed the guidelines on discharge of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in isolation for over 45 days.
This may not be unconnected to Mrs Susan Idoko-Okpe, who was isolated as Benue State index case for at least 58 days.
Idoko-Okpe, who arrived in Nigeria from the United Kingdom on March 22, took to social media to protest her testing positive for the COVID-19 results leading to her isolation at the Benue State Isolation Centre in Makurdi on March 27, and subsequently at the National Hospital.
But the NHA’s Deputy Director/Head of Department, Information and Protocol Management, Dr Tayo Haastrup, in a statement explained that the new guidelines on discharge allowed positive patients to go home.
“Following the review of protocol for isolation with the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC, it was agreed that patients who remain asymptomatic beyond 45 days could be allowed home on self-isolation, and a repeat test could be done after five to 10 days to confirm if the patient has become negative,” the statement read in part.
The last results given to Idoko-Okpe showed that she was still positive for COVID-19 but the health officials asked her to go, having met the requirements of the World Health Organisation.
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