COVID-19: NASS member’s, Joel Dewus, is dead

Ilesanmi AdekanbiApril 5, 2020

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The residents of Plateau State in Panic over the death of the National Assembly (NASS) staff, Joel Dewus in the Plateau State Hospital after battle to some health complications but residents suspected to be Coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Dewus dead in the early hours of Sunday at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) after had been in coma for two weeks due to some health complications.

But the Plateau State Government on Sunday said that the death of Joel Dewus, a National Assembly (NASS) staff, was not caused by coronavirus as suspected but from other health complications.

Mr Lar Noam, the State Commissioner for Health, who confirmed the incident in an interview to newsmen, stated that late Dewus had been in coma for two weeks at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) due to some health complications.

He said “As a government, we feel so sorry for the family of Dewus, who brought him in sick from Abuja to his home town, Mangu, and then JUTH, he was on admission till his death this early morning of Sunday, April 5.

“When he was brought to JUTH from Na Allah Na Kowa Hospital, Mangu, two weeks ago, we took his blood sample to Abuja for COVID-19 test but the result was negative on March 31.

“We kept explaining to the public that the NASS staff was suffering from a different ailment and not Coronavirus, yet, some refused to believe us.”

Mr Lawrence Danat, the Chairman of Mangu Local Government, who also confirmed the death of Dewus, said, the patient died in the early hours of today, Sunday April 5, 2020 of complications from different ailments.

He said “The suspected case of COVID-19 regarding the health challenge of Dewus, who worked with the national assembly, Abuja has been confirmed negative.

“The case was earlier reported to the authorities of Mangu Local Government Area, precisely on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 by the relations with a referral letter from Na Allah Na Kowa Hospital and l (Danat) immediately established contact with the Plateau State Taskforce team on COVID-19.

“The Mangu General Hospital was contacted by the Council to provide ambulance, which conveyed the patient to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) where his samples were collected and sent to Abuja for COVID-19 laboratory test.

“Management of Mangu Local Government Council hereby commiserates with the families of the deceased as well as dispel rumours making the rounds especially in the social media that there is a case of COVID-19 in the area.”

However, he urged the residents to constantly maintain personal hygiene by regularly washing their hands on running water with liquid soap and using hand sanitisers as well as observing social distancing in any gathering, NAN reports.