LASUTH Patient Tests Positive For Monkeypox
A 40-year-old patient that was admitted to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, has tested positive for the Monkeypox virus despite the hospital shutting down its orthopaedics unit.
The unnamed patient was said to be a road traffic accident victim who has been on admission in the Bola Tinubu, BT, Orthopaedics ward of the hospital since 26th of June, 2022.
The Vanguard had gathered that the patient developed a facial rash that was similar to one of the symptoms of Monkeypox.
In order to maintain the high index of suspicion, the hospital had obtained samples from the patient for investigation for Monkeypox and varicella on the 22nd of July, 2022. The outcome of result on the 27th of July, 2022, was positive for Monkeypox.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the patient had been in close contact with family members and the hospital’s medical staff in the Orthopaedic ward. As a result, admission of patients has been suspended into the unit.
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According to sources who had spoken with Vanguard, even patients with broken bones and already billed for surgery were turned back and referred to other hospitals including the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos, and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idiaraba, Lagos,
The sources say that doctors and other medical officers that participated in the surgery of the patient are under have been placed under observation.
The patient has since been moved out of the hospital while forms have been given to the doctors and other health workers affected to fill on daily basis as regarding symptoms they may be observing while under observation as the incubation period for Monkeypox virus lasts between seven to 17 days.
“The ward affected has been shut down and fumigated. The doctors, nurses and other health workers that were involved in the surgery of the patient have been placed under observation.”
According to the website of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), from the 1st of January to the 24th of July, 2022, 17 Monkeypox cases and one death had been recorded in Lagos. Since the re-emergence of Monkeypox in September 2017 to the 24th of July, 2022, a total of 47 cases and three deaths have been recorded in Lagos.
SOURCE: Vanguard Lagos
