A deputy Commissioner of police in Edo State, DCP Francis Addie Blessing has reportedly lost his battle to Coronavirus (Covid-19) disease.

The 57-year-old police officer in charge of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police Zone 5, died on Tuesday at police Clinic in Benin City, the State Capital.

The police Officer, was attached to Nigeria police Zonal headquarters in Benin City.

The victim was the second Covid-19 casualty recorded in the State since the first index case was announced in Edo State on March 23, 2020.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Patrick Okundia who confirmed the incident to newsmen on Tuesday, said it was “not very clear how he got the infection but he developed some illnesses. 

He described the incident as unfortunate, however did not provide details whether he was among the active Covid-19 case.

Okundia recalled that two days before the death of the Officer, Covid-19 surveillance team in the State were called to have a look at him and took his sample and sent it to the laboratory.

The Commissioner said while the police Officer continued with his drugs in self isolation, his result came out and it was positive before he died.

According to the Health Commissioner, “we had an unfortunate situation of a 57-year-old police officer who passed on yesterday. The story is not very clear how he got the infection but he developed some illnesses. 

“Initially, there was no evidence of suspicion for Coronavirus disease but when the symptoms started getting worse he was treated at the Police clinic.

“And about two days before that death our surveillance team were called to have a look at and it was in that process they took the sample and sent it to the laboratory while he continued with his drugs. He was placed on self isolation, however the result came out and it was positive.

“At the time, we could get it to his house to move him out of his house , only to get there the man had died  that same day.

“It is really unfortunate and the result came after the man had died”, he said.

Contacted for comments, the Public Relations Officer in charge of Zone 5, Benin City, DSP Emeka Ihenacho, did not respond to the calls put across to him as at the time of filing the report.

Seven Covid-19 patients had been discharged out the 15 confirmed cases, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

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