An unidentified doctor in Bauchi State was said to have infected 10 members of his family including his last child, a nine year-old son, after testing positive for coronavirus.
Chairman, State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA), Dr. Rilwanu Muhammed, who disclosed this in Bauchi, the state capital yesterday, said though nine of the family have been discharged, his son remained in isolation.
Dr. Mohammed further disclosed that the doctor may have contracted the virus while treating Covid-19 patients but he refused to allow himself to be treated, thereby exposing his family members to the deadly virus.
”The doctor and nine of his family members were recently discharged but the last child, the 9 year-old son is still in isolation. When the doctor got infected, instead of allowing other doctors to take care of him, he went home with it. He ought to have placed himself on a sick roll and allow others to treat him, you’re a doctor doesn’t mean you can treat yourself of COVID-19,” he warned.
Mohammed however, advised infected health workers to submit themselves for treatment adding that no fewer than 24 health workers have tested positive so far for the novel virus, with 17 from Azare community in Katagum Local Government Area while 7 were infected in Bauchi Local Government.
Mohammed, who doubles as the Chairman, Contact Tracing Committee on COVID-19 in the state also identified denials by infected patients as one of the challenges health workers are facing in the state.
According to him, health workers most times may have had contact with an infected patient before knowing his or her Covid-19 status.
He therefore advised infected patients to always succumb to treatment saying denial posed a greater risk to the society.