The Chief Medical Director, CMD, Jesse Otegbayo of University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Otegbayo confirmed this in a statement released on Sunday. He said he took a test on Friday after one of the hospital’s board members tested positive for the virus.
According to Otegbayo, samples of all the board members were taken and his own result came out positive.
He said he has since gone into self-isolation and has indulged those who were in contact with him to take the test.
“On Monday 23rd March, we commenced a 12man quarterly board meeting which was meant to last 5 days in the hospital, we observed social distancing and other precautionary measures for COVID-19 as much as possible,” the statement read.
“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 results 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.
“COVID-19 is spreading faster than we think and I enjoin everyone to take precautions. If one person has it, then a gathering of two becomes dangerous. Stay at home, avoid unnecessary outing and stay safe.”
Meanwhile, Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa and Obafunke Denloye, provost and deputy provost respectively, of the hospital’s college of medicine, have also tested positive for the disease.
Olaopa said he and the deputy provost tested positive for coronavirus after taking the test on Friday.
“I wish to inform you that the Deputy Provost and I tested positive for the COVID-19 following tests done on Friday,” he said.
“Although we are both asymptomatic, we have gone into self-isolation for 14 days whilst our contacts are being observed closely to determine if they should also be tested.”
As at press time, there are 97 cases of coronavirus in Nigeria, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.