The 32-year-old Dubai returnee who was presumed to be the 34th COVID-19 related death in Lagos on Monday did not die from COVID-19, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi has announced.

Akin Abayomi made the announcement on his Twitter handle on Thursday. He said the ‘gold standard test’ conducted on the deceased patient turned out negative.

Mr Abayomi, who tweeted the initial death of the patient on Tuesday, said he was one of the Nigerians evacuated from Dubai by the Federal Government.

“Another COVID-19 infection related death involving 32-year-old male has been recorded. The deceased recently returned from Dubai with severe underlying health condition, following evacuation of Nigerians in foreign countries by@DigiCommsNG,” he wrote on his handle.

On Wednesday, the commissioner said the death was a “presumed” COVID-19 death, and apologised for the error.

“The death of a recent Dubai returnee previously announced on my social media handles earlier was a presumed COVID-19 related death.

“I regret any misinterpretation this post might have caused. The result of COVID-19 test conducted will be published once it is ready. Thanks for your understanding,”Abayomi Tweeted.

Abayomi revealed the result of the patient came on Thursday and turned out negative.

Mr Abayomi said it was presumed to be COVID-19 death “to ensure safe clinical management of the patient and thereafter the corpse”.

“I hereby inform the general public that the Nigerian who recently returned from Dubai as part of a group of returnees who were placed in a COVID-19 isolation program in lekki, developed complications and was transferred to one of our facilities where he died.

“Because of the sudden nature of his demise and without any prior knowledge of his multiple preexisting conditions, it was presumed to be a COVID-19 related death pending confirmation by COVID-19 Gold standard test.

“This presumptive attribution is a precaution to ensure the safe clinical management of the patient and subsequent handling of the corpse.

“The definitive COVID-19 gold standard test has turned out to be negative for the COVID-19 infection and his death is no longer considered to have been attributable to COVID-19,” the commissioner wrote.

This brings the total deaths from COVID-19 in Lagos State to 33.

According to the NCDC, as at Thursday, May 14th, 2020, Lagos has 2,099 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Of the 2,099 confirmed cases, 1525 are active, 541 discharged have been made and 33 deaths have been recorded.