Suspected Ebola patient dies at LUTH

The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, was thrown into panic yesterday, following the admission of two patients suspected to be infected with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into the hospital.
One of the patients later died after reportedly showing symptoms of the deadly disease.
Confirming the development, a resident doctor at the hosp
ital, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that one of the patients was brought in on Monday by an airport ambulance after reportedly being rejected at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
According to the doctor, the suspected case was severely ill and showed symptoms of the EVD, including high temperature, vomiting blood and stooling.
The patient, however, reportedly died, due to the severity of his illness and lack of care, as doctors and nurses on duty at the time were not equipped with protective kits required to attend to such cases.
It was also gathered that there was no alcohol scrubs available at the clinic at the time and after a meeting with nurses, the doctor agreed that a hand-free examination be done on the patient.
The doctor, who was on call duty at the time of the incident, further disclosed that the suspected case while at the Accidents and Emergency Unit of the hospital, had vomited all over the ward and a disinfection of the area had commenced and all doctors and nurses were urged to avoid the area.
He, however, said the identity of the patients could not be revealed due to patients’ confidentiality.
The source also confirmed that a second suspected Ebola case was brought to the hospital the same day in a critical condition, while the Lagos State Government had taken away the body of the first suspected case to perform the necessary tests for confirmation of cause of death.
When contacted on phone, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Akin Osibogun and the Public Relations Officer, Mrs Hope Nwawolo, neither picked their calls nor replied text messages sent to them.