The deceased, owner of San Dominique Hospital Uyo, was said to been sick with a week history of fever, cough and shortness of breath.
Essien was a renowned Private Practitioner, a Physiotherapist and lecturer in the Department of Physiology, University of Uyo.
His condition worsened with his peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SPO2) as low as 72%, requiring him to be placed on oxygen at his clinic.
The Nation gathered that the State COVID-19 Response Team was contacted and he was immediately admitted into the Ibom Multispecialty Hospital, Uyo.
He was said to have been and managed by specialists in respiratory medicine.
Following suspected symptoms of the coronavirus, his sample was awaiting transportation to the laboratory for COVID-19 testing.
Unfortunately, Dr Essien died on Thursday over alleged absence of a ventilator in the IBH.