A 51 – year- old medical doctor has became the first health worker in Nigeria to die of COVID- 19 after he contracted the virus from a patient he had treated .
The doctor , who died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital , was rushed to the facility on Monday after attempting to manage a COVID- 19 patient in a private hospital in Lagos .
The Chairman , Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital , Prof Wasiu Adeyemo , said the doctor was not a staff of the hospital but was rushed to the facility after he showed symptoms of the disease .
“ The doctor is not a LUTH staff ; he was a private practitioner , though he trained in LUTH some 18 , 20 years ago . I remember I met him , I know him , he left LUTH around 2002 . One of his classmates called me that he has some issues in his private hospital , so I asked that he should be brought to LUTH . He was COVID- 19 positive, we started him on drugs but unfortunately, he died this morning ( Wednesday ) , ” Adeyemo said .
LUTH CMAC said he would not disclose the name of the doctor and his hospital as it was against the ethics of the medical profession .
THE Federal Government has said that people with over N5, 000 in their bank account will not benefit from the palliatives to cushion the effect of the lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government also said that it will be using the mobile networks, to know people that top up the credit units for their phones with maybe N100 or less.
Besides, the state governments will now be involved in the distribution of food items.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, stated this while briefing State House correspondents after meeting behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister also said that the Ministry will now focus on the urban poor as it carries out with President Buhari’s directive on the distribution of palliatives to cushion the effects of COVID-19 on Nigerians.
According to her, “You are aware that the President in his broadcast of Monday 13th April, directed that we expand the beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer by one million and in this regard, we are going to focus more now on the urban poor.
“These are people who depend on the informal sector to earn their livelihood; they are daily wage earners and these are the people that we are really going to focus more on as well as people living with disabilities.”
Giving details on how to identify the beneficiaries of the stimulus, she said that the Ministry has three options to be adopted in selecting the beneficiaries of the scheme.
She said, “Well, we have three options; one, we are going to use the national social register that we already have, two, we are also going to focus on the urban poor as I mentioned, by using their verified BVN accounts to get them, that is, people that have an account balance of N5, 000 and below.
“We are also using the mobile networks, to know people that top up the credit units for their phones with maybe N100 or less. Those are also people that we consider to be poor and vulnerable. So, these are the three options that we are exploring and I am sure that by the time we get this data we will be able to give this intervention.”
She, however, said only 25 per cent of the population would benefit for now, adding that the scope might be expanded later.
She said, “Let me also say that we have a standard. 25 per cent of the total population is what we will take out. It cannot go round everywhere but we are starting from somewhere.
“25 per cent of let’s say the population of Lagos State for example is what is going to benefit from this intervention that we are doing. Going forward, we might expand it but this is what is obtainable for now.”
The Minister said her ministry intends to hand over the distribution of food relief items to State governments, so as to address the challenges associated with distribution faced in the past.
She said: “On the issue of palliatives in terms of food relief, we have an emergency response plan in place. In the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, we have different functional groups.
“One of such groups, is that which deals with mass care, logistics and security, to be led by the National Emergency Management Agency under the Ministry and they have a structure; from National, States, down to Local Governments, where the various State Emergency Agencies and other security agencies are involved in this distribution.
“So far, we have already done the distribution together with the State authorities in these two states affected by the lockdown, together with the FCT but going forward, when we are going to give these food items, we are going to hand them over to the states because issues have come up, as at yesterday (Monday,).
“Our people were mobbed, some of them were attacked in the course of carrying out this assignment so the general conclusion is that we give this food relief directly to the State governments for them to distribute to the beneficiaries.”
Kaduna State Governor , Nasir El -Rufai , says he has not recovered from the coronavirus disease that has infected no fewer than 373 people in Nigeria .
The governor gave the update after chairing the Kaduna State Executive Council meeting .
While giving the update via his Twitter handle , El – Rufai warned against being misled about his coronavirus status .
He pledged to make his status public whenever he recovers from the virus .
He said , “ Earlier Wednesday 10 am – 2 pm , I took a few hours during isolation to chair a virtual meeting of the State Executive Council .
“ I haven ’ t been cleared of COVID- 19 yet and ( I ) will personally announce when confirmed negative . Ignore all fake news even if you like it. ”
Recalled that El- Rufai earlier announced that he tested positive for the virus on March 28 .
Unlike some top personalities that have recovered from the virus , El -Rufail says he remained positive after spending more than two weeks in isolation .
Some aggrieved casual workers of a Chinese company in the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone located at the Ado – Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State , have set ablaze one of the company ’ s vehicle and destroyed two other vehicles .
The dissatisfied workers reportedly protested against the company ’ s decision to lock them within the premises.
It was gathered that the decision to lock them up within the premises was part of measures to stop the spread of COVID- 19 and to obey the two – week lockdown extension of the government .
The protesters in a video circulated on social media were heard saying, “ No more, management . This management should have sorted this since yesterday , pay us at least two months’ salary ” .
Confirming the incident , the Police Public Relations Officer in the state , Abimbola Oyeyemi , said the incident had happened three days ago .
Oyeyemi said there was no unrest in the area , saying, it was just a protest without loss of life .
He said , “ It happened two to three days ago . The Chinese company locked its casual workers inside the company since the beginning of the lockdown .
“ The workers were now clamouring that they wanted to go home , demanding that the management pay them off . That was what actually sparked off the protest . ”
“ They set ablaze the company ’ s vehicle but not completely burnt . They also destroyed the windscreens of two vehicles .
“ The police have intervened in the matter and the management of the Chinese company has paid them off, the workers have all gone to their houses . ”
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has expressed his readiness to donate his blood as sample for research in the quest to find a cure to the COVID- 19 pandemic .
When necessary , he said , his blood could be taken for evaluation by experts on post- infection protection against the deadly infection.
Makinde, who is a survivor of COVID- 19 , indicated his intention on Wednesday via his official Twitter account .
He wrote , “ We have been advocating for local solutions to the COVID- 19 pandemic in Oyo State . So , as a COVID- 19 survivor , I volunteered to donate my blood to be studied by our experts researching on the ‘ Evaluation of Post Infection Protection Against SARS- COV- 2 ( COVID- 19 ) in Nigeria . ”
Earlier , Makinde had said , “ We are looking at local solutions . I know that a lot of people have been calling me all sorts of names on the social media but , from my experience , one thing that I know you have to do to conquer the virus is that you have to boost your immunity . We do have local solutions and , of course , we have to defer to experts ’ opinion as part of the home – grown solution to deal with COVID- 19 .
“ People may ask if we have been funding the research institutes very well. They may even ask if we are in a position to bring any kind of solution to the world . My answer is yes . Even chewing something like bitter – cola . When the Western World is having flu season , they have flu shots. But here , we have things like catarrh . When we are crossing over from dry season to rainy season , people almost always fall sick . Cold , cough , catarrh , we have ways of dealing with all of these locally .
“ So , except a solution comes from the Western or Eastern world , I won ’ t say that we cannot deal with it. I believe we have the capacity . We have the intellect to look at things that work locally and we will keep encouraging that . We have the capacity to also validate some of the results that we are going to be getting.
“ They did clinical trials for chloroquine and some other medications but these are things we take normally here . So , we are not ruling out local solution to this pandemic . ”
Hundreds of aggrieved women took to the streets of Sapele , Delta State in a peaceful protest to demonstrate their discontent with the extended two weeks lockdown on the state by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over the coronavirus pandemic .
The protesting women anchored their grievances on the allegation that the Governor Okowa led government had neither provided food nor electricity to cushion the hardship of Deltans.
According to the placard- carrying protesters who were joined by youths , for the past 14 days , it has not been easy for them and their households.
They lamented that most households could no longer contend with hunger .
One of the leaders of the protesting women groups told journalists that “ we are on a peaceful protest to demonstrate our displeasure for another 14 days lockdown which the state governor, Sen . Okowa decreed on Tuesday ” .
The protesters said they were marching to the Secretariat of the Local Government to register their displeasure alleging that government was playing politics with the issues.
They alleged that the state government had been deceiving them with their audio promises of coming up with palliatives because, according to them, for the past 14 days the government had not done anything for their survival while many of them are dying of hunger silently .
A member of the protesting group declared angrily : “ The government locked down the state for 14 days because of COVID- 19 , which we obeyed in good faith and stayed at home .
“ But after the 14 days , the hunger is now more than that of the Egyptians in the day of the Biblical Joseph because the government didn ’ t give us any palliative and many of us with our children depend on daily earnings.
“ The government that made the order are enjoying with their families so it will be another 14 days of disaster if we are to stay at home as our children are crying of hunger every day ” .
There was drama inside an Osun State Magistrates ’ Court sitting in Osogbo , when an accused arraigned for assault , suddenly coughed while his charge was being read .
The development led to a little disruption of the proceedings , as three lawyers that sat in front of the accused hurriedly moved away their chairs .
Despite the drama , Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara told the accused that his cough would not stop the session .
Ige was arraigned alongside Rasaq Sunday , Wasiu Adeyanju and Samson Ogunleye .
They were said to have on April 6 , 2020 on Olugun Street, Osogbo , conspired to commit assault occasioning harm – an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of criminal code cap 34 Vol . Il , Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002 .
The accused were said to have used broken bottles , scissors, and cutlass to inflict injury on the left hand of one Lateef Kareem.
Rasaq Olayiwola announced appearance for the prosecution.
The accused, who had no legal representation , pleaded not guilty to the two counts of assault pressed against them.
The magistrate, Ayilara , admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N200 , 000 with one surety each .
He then adjourned the matter till May 13 for mention .
Ogun State Governor , Dapo Abiodun has said the current relaxation of the lockdown in the state from 7 am to 2 pm would be suspended on Friday.
The governor also said the state would soon commence strict enforcement of wearing of face masks in the public , saying it would help flatten the spread of coronavirus .
The governor in the statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin , urged the residents of the state to consider the extension announced by the President on Monday a necessary sacrifice to defeat an invisible and deadly enemy .
He said , “ Therefore , the current window of relaxation of the lockdown in the state from 7 am to 2 pm, which follows the same pattern of last week, will still be available for this Wednesday (15 th April) and Friday ( 17 th April, 2020 ) only .
“ This is to allow the residents prepare for the extension of the lockdown and restock on food and other essential items . However , Ogun State borders remain closed .
“ It should be emphasised that people should only go out if they need to and are required at all times when outside their homes to wear a face mask , including locally made face masks, even as they observe other social distancing measures .
“ The state will soon commence strict enforcement of wearing of face mask in the public as it has been shown to help flatten the spread of the virus . ”
Exactly one week after the headquarters of the Office of the Accountant- General of the Federation was gutted by fire , there has been another fire outbreak at the headquarters of the Corporate Affairs Commission .
The fire , according to sources, occurred at the seven – storey building located in Maitama, Abuja .
The building is located on the same street that houses other top government offices such as the National Youth Service Corps , the Nigeria Incentives Risk – Based Sharing for Agricultural Lending and the Nigeria Export Promotion Commission among others.
The Registrar – General of the CAC, Alhaji Garba Abubakar , confirmed the incident to newsmen .
He said that there was no loss of document or lives during the fire outbreak .
Abubakar said that as soon as the fire outbreak was noticed , men of the Federal Fire Service were quickly mobilised to put it out .
He told newsmen , “ There was a minor fire incident at the CAC today ( Wednesday ) which was quickly extinguished by the men of the fire service .
“ However , there was no loss of document or lives . ”
Temperature checks on voters, separate booths for those with fevers, special polling stations for the quarantined: South Koreans headed to the polls Wednesday with a big turnout expected despite the coronavirus threat.
South Korea is the first country with a major virus outbreak to hold a national election since the global pandemic began, and a complex web of safety measures was spun around the ballot, as well as the campaigning that preceded it.
The parliamentary poll vote kicked off at 6 am (2100 GMT Tuesday) with 43.9 million voters eligible to cast their ballots.
All citizens must wear protective masks and undergo temperature checks at the polling station. Those found to have fever will cast their ballots in separate booths to be disinfected after each use.
Voters have also been asked to wear plastic gloves after cleaning their hands with sanitiser at polling stations, and to keep at least one metre (three feet) apart.
“We are now holding an election at a very difficult time amid social distancing campaigns and a contraction of economic activity,” election commission chairman Kwon Soon-il said .
“Please go to the polling stations tomorrow and show that you are the owners of this country.”
South Korea was among the first countries to be hit by the virus outside China, where the coronavirus first emerged.
For a time South Korea had the world’s second-largest outbreak, before it was largely brought under control through a widespread testing and a contact-tracing drive.
Those self-quarantining at home will be allowed out to vote in a 100-minute window around the polls’ 6:00 pm close, as long as they do not show virus symptoms.
Special polling stations were set up at eight central quarantine facilities at the weekend to enable residents to vote.
But anyone who is staying at home and has developed symptoms is effectively disenfranchised.
Campaigning has also been affected by the outbreak: instead of the traditional handshakes and distributing of name cards, candidates have been keeping their distance from citizens, bowing and offering an occasional fist bump.
Many have turned to online media such as Youtube and Instagram to connect with voters, while some have even volunteered to disinfect parts of their constituencies.
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