By Ovie Okpare
Delta State has recorded two new cases of the novel coronavirus after tests of two of the suspected cases came positive, NIGER DELTA TODAY Online can report.
This brings to six the number of confirmed cases in the state.
The two new cases are male and a female.
The female case reported positive after she presented herself for test at the Isolation Centre in Warri on Friday but was later allowed to return home while awaiting the result of the test.
Our correspondent learnt that the patient who reside at Ugberikoko area of Uvwie Local Government Area of the state later left to visit her boyfriend at Otu-Jeremi in Ughelli South Local Area of the state.
However, while still at her boyfriend place, her health reportedly deteriorated.
She was subsequently hospitalized at the General Hospital, Otu-Jeremi, until her case test result was released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday night.
It was learnt that she was later evacuated from the Otu-Jeremi General Hospital by the State Taskforce on COVID-19 accompanied by NCDC officials.
The confirmation of her case, however, led to panic in Otu-Jeremi and her Ugborikoko residence near Warri.
The second case according to credible sources is that of a male in Udu Local Government Area of the state.
Findings by NIGER DELTA TODAY Online revealed that the state has taken sample of 79 suspected cases of coronavirus.
An NCDC official who confirmed the development to our correspondent on Wednesday said of the number, a total of six persons have tested positive to the pandemic.
The state had earlier confirmed four cases with one of the cases reported dead for the disease.
“Total samples collected 79 and sent 76 (three will be transported today April 22, 2020). 47 of the samples came back negative. Six came back positive while 12 are still pending”, an official of the taskforce told our correspondent on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the state government is yet to confirm the two new cases as of the time of filing this report on Wednesday.
Effort by this reporter to speak with the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ononye Mordi, on the development were unsuccessful as repeated calls and SMS sent to him went unanswered at the time of filing this report.
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, could not also confirm the development when contacted.
However, several medical personnel involved in the treatment and management of COVID-19 cases confirmed the development to NIGER DELTA TODAY Online.
