Delta Ministry of Health on Tuesday alerted the public to be wary of making contacts with a COVID-19 patient, Mr Michael Mordi, 53, whose relations removed from a treatment centre in Asaba.
Commissioner in the ministry, Dr Mordi Ononye, who raised the alarm in a statement , condemned the action of the relations, who took the patient out of the centre in spite of the danger of such move to the public.
“The Delta State Ministry of Health wishes to express its displeasure over the uncooperative stance of Mr Michael Nwachukwu Mordi, a 53-year old Chief Nursing Officer in Central Hospital, Agbor.
“Mordi tested positive to COVID-19 on May 23rd, 2020 and was admitted into the COVID-19 Treatment Centre, Federal Medical Center, Asaba, on May 24th 2020,” he said.
The Commissioner said that since the admission of Mordi at the treatment centre, he had been very aggressive and uncooperative.
He further stated that Mordi had continually threatened care-givers at the treatment centre and had also rejected his medications.
Ononye said that at 6pm on June 1st, 2020, the patient, Mordi, against medical advice, was forcefully removed from the treatment centre by seven men who claimed to be his relatives.
He also said that the men who carried out the act did not wear any protective coverings.
“These men who carried out this action constitute danger to their own health and that of other people and communities with which they come in contact.
“We wish to use this medium to alert the general public about the public health danger of associating with the patient and with those who have exposed themselves to him,” Ononye warned.
The commissioner advised the patient to return to the treatment center for proper care, and called on those who had exposed themselves to him, to immediately go into supervised quarantine for 14 days.
He reminded the people of the state that the COVID-19 pandemic was real and enjoined the public to continue to observe all preventive measures.
He further enjoined persons who have fever, cough or difficulty with breathing, to visit the nearest government hospital for proper assessment and possible testing.