Professor in Uniport reportedly dies of COVID-19 

The novel COVID-19 pandemic has reportedly claimed its first casualty in the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with the death of an Associate Professor of the institution.

An impeccable source in the Faculty of Humanities in UNIPORT disclosed the incident

The victim, Professor Nneka Omera-Okeke was the Head of Department of English Studies, University of Port Harcourt who was said to have been treated for Malaria and Typhoid before she was later diagnosed of COVID-19.

Late Omera-Okeke reportedly passed on Thursday after battling the virus without knowing.

According to the Source, “We spoke earlier on Thursday and I noticed that her voice wasn’t sharp, so I asked her what happened. Prof. told me she had been sick for almost 3 weeks despite treating malaria and typhoid, the thing persisted.

“So, she said she had been advised to go the hospital. So her son took her there. As they got to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, she explained her symptoms, then they immediately took her to the isolation centre.

“The son said they conducted some tests including COVID-19, and they said the result will be out the next day (Friday) while they started treatment.

“Only for UPTH to call the VC informing him that Prof. Nneka was dead and that she died of coronavirus. The VC informed the Dean who announced it on the Faculty’s WhatsApp group.

“But the woman’s child is shocked that the hospital told him that the result will be out the next day only for the VC to have the information before him. He’s saying his mum did not die of coronavirus.”

When contacted, Spokesman of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. William Wordi said the institution cannot announce the death of Professor Nneka Omera-Okeke until it has been officially notified by the family.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Rivers State has recorded 1 new confirmed case of COVID-19 while the Rivers State government announced 3 deaths as at Thursday, May 21, 2020.