Nigeria’s premier university, University of Ibadan has been hit hard by global pandemic of COVID -19 as three top management staff who are Professors in the institution’s school of medicine and its teaching hospital, University College Hospital, UCH announced on Sunday morning that they had tested positive to the virus.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had late Saturday announced the confirmation of four new cases of the virus in Oyo State, the host of the University.
It is believed that the three Professors may be among the new confirmed cases.
Professor Ezikiel Olapade Olapa, the Provost of the School of Medicine confirmed that he and his deputy, Prof Obafunke Denloye, tested positive for Coronavirus in a message to his colleagues on a social media platform on Sunday morning, according to reports.
Olapade-Olaopa said, “Dear colleagues, I wish to inform you that the Deputy Provost and I tested positive for COVID-19 following the tests done on Friday.
“Although we are both asymptomatic, we have gone into self-isolation for 14 days while our contacts are being observed closely to determine if they should also be tested.”
While confirming that he had also tested positive to the virus, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, Prof Jesse A. Otegbayo, traced the development to a meeting held on 23 March.
“On Monday March 23, we commenced a 12-man quarterly board meeting which was meant to last five days in the hospital, we observed social distancing and other precautionary measures for Covid-19 as much as possible.
“However, on Wednesday morning, one of us presented with what appeared to be symptoms of Covid-19, his samples were immediately taken for test and the meeting called off.
“His result returned positive on Friday morning and every participant (including me) immediately went into self-isolation while our samples were also taken for test.
“Unfortunately, my result returned positive on Saturday afternoon and I remain in isolation as I am not symptomatic.
“All staff who have been in contact with me and other participants during this period have been advised to immediately proceed on self-isolation pending the time they get tested, ” Otegbayo said.
It was believed that the Provost and his deputy were also at the meeting.
This magazine however learnt that the situation has led to panic among other participants at the meeting, staff and relatives of the three Professors.