COVID-19: UBTH foresees upsurge in COVID-19 cases, appeals for help 

The University of Benin Teaching Hospital UBTH on Tuesday appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to support the fight against COVID-19 coronavirus in the hospital.

The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Prof. Casimir Omuemu, made the call after a tour of the facilities for COVID-19 patients in the hospital, saying the call had become necessary in the face of envisaged increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in the state.

“We appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to join us in this battle to support the hospital. There is more to be done now but there is a lot we expect we will need because as the number of victims of this pandemic increases, we expect that the amount of requirements to deal with them will increase. So we appeal to those who can support us in meaningful way to join us.At the moment, we have12 beds but we have extra space that we can expand to accept 40 patients.”

Omuemu added that the Edo State Government had promised to support the facility with more ventilators and the repairs of those damaged by power surge.

An infectious disease physician managing the isolation room, Dr Benson Okwara, said the centre had two patients who were COVID-19 positive, adding that they responding “significantly to treatment.”

He said, “We are hoping that in the next couple of days we will have their test done again to know whether they have converted from positive to negative.