Lagos announces four new coronavirus cases (Punch)
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said four new positive cases have been confirmed in Lagos State.
At a briefing on Wednesday, Abayomi said the four new cases were in addition to the six cases who were in isolation.
With the new cases, Nigeria now has 12 positive cases of coronavirus – 11 in Lagos and one in Ekiti. However, one later tested negative and was discharged. Read more
Nigeria’s first coronavirus case now negative, says Lagos State (Guardian)
The first confirmed coronavirus index case in Nigeria has now tested negative for the virus, Lagos State health commissioner Akin Abayomi said on Thursday.
The patient is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria who returned from Milan to Lagos on Tuesday, 25 February 2020.
He was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, which is part of the Laboratory Network at the Nigeria Center for Disease Control.
Abayomi, however, said the Italian will be tested once again before he will be discharged. Read more
LASU postpones convovation over coronavirus (Punch)
The Lagos State University management has postponed its 24th convocation indefinitely over growing coronavirus cases in Nigeria.
Before the postponement, the convocation was scheduled for March 20 to 27.
A statement from the university, on Thursday, added, “The postponement is as a result of the prevailing health threats occasioned by Coronavirus pandemic and the resolution of the Federal and State Governments to discourage the gathering of people in public places at this point. Read more
Appeal court reverses Ifeanyi Ubah’s sacking as Senator (Guardian)
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday reversed the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that sacked Ifeanyi Ubah as a Senator.
The FCT high court on Thursday, April 11, 2019, removed Ubah as Senator for Anambra South senatorial district.
But a three-man panel of the court, led by Justice Stephen Adah said the judgment was given without jurisdiction. Read more
Coronavirus: Lagos, Ekiti emergency lines unreachable (Punch)
Two direct telephone lines set up for reporting of Coronavirus cases in Lagos State on Wednesday morning were switched off, The PUNCH has learnt.
Going by international standards, emergency lines are supposed to be active 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
But the two lines tweeted by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, were switched off on Thursday morning when our correspondent called the lines. Read more
After 102 days, police nab husband who allegedly macheted wife (DailyTrust)
A man identified as Shuaib Kalejaye who allegedly macheted his hairdresser wife for daring to think of living him has been arrested by the police in Ondo State. The suspect also known as Aja, who was on the run for over 102 days was said to have been arrested two days ago. The suspect, it was learnt, was arrested in Epe area of Lagos State where he fled to after the incident. Sources said he was picked up following a tip off. Read more
Why we can’t sell petrol at 125/litre – Marketers (Punch)
Private fuel marketers have yet to reduce the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), while retail stations belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation have started selling at N125 per litre.
The PUNCH correspondent, who visited several filling stations including Oando, Mobil and Capital Oil and Gas on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as well as Total at Ikosi-Ketu, on Thursday morning, observed that the private marketers were selling at N145 per litre of petrol.
“What we are asking the government is that: who is going to pay us between the old price and the new price on our old stock? And without them verifying our old stock and telling us what they will pay us and when they will pay us, we will not load,” a top official of one of the fuel marketers’ associations told our correspondent on condition of anonymity. Read more
Buhari’s daughter returns from UK, isolates self (DailyTrust)
Mrs. Aisha Buhari, the wife of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that one of her daughters who returned from the United Kingdom earlier on Thursday has been self-isolated amidst Coronavirus (COVID-19) scare. She disclosed this in a series of tweets via her official Twitter handle: @AishaMBuhari today. She said the daughter “is on self-isolation, not because she displayed any symptoms of the COVID-19,” but on the advice of the Health Minister, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Read more
I went into crimes because I kept bad company – Convict tells court (Vanguard)
A convict, Abbah Ahmed, pleaded with a Grade I Area Court, Kubwa, Abuja to give him another chance, that he went into committing crimes because he kept bad company.
Ahmed was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, for criminal conspiracy and attempt to commit an offence.
”I ran away from home because my father did not like my smoking habit. I found myself on the streets committing crimes,” he pleaded with the judge, Muhammad Adamu. Read more
Coronavirus: Australia and New Zealand ban non-residents from entry (BBC)
Australia and New Zealand will ban entry to all non-residents from Friday in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his nation’s order would come into effect from 21:00 on Friday (10:00 GMT).
New Zealand’s will begin earlier – at midnight (11:00 GMT Thursday).
The historic and far-reaching bans do not extend to citizens, permanent residents, or their families. Read more
No new coronavirus case in Wuhan first time since outbreak (Punch)
China on Thursday marked a major milestone in its battle against the coronavirus pandemic as it recorded zero domestic infections for the first time since the outbreak emerged, but a spike in imported cases threatened its progress.
The stark reversal comes as nations across the world have shut down in a desperate effort to contain the pandemic, with more people now infected and having died abroad than in China.
There were no new cases in Wuhan – the central city where the virus first emerged in December – for the first time since authorities started publishing figures in January, according to the National Health Commission. Read more
Co-op creates 5,000 jobs for people who lost jobs to coronavirus (Metro)
The Co-op supermarket is to create 5,000 jobs in a bid to provide temporary employment for hospitality workers who have lost their jobs amid the coronavirus crisis, the company announced. The retail giant said it is simplifying its recruitment process so successful candidates can start work within days. Permanent jobs will also be on offer at the Co-op’s 2,600 stores across the country. Jo Whitfield, chief executive of Co-op Food, said: ‘The Co-op has a critical role to play in supporting our members, customers and colleagues, as well as the local communities that our stores sit at the heart of. Read more
Coronavirus: Europe looking to extend virus lockdowns (BBC)
European nations are examining extending the lockdowns put in place to try to stem the coronavirus outbreak.
A lockdown imposed on 12 March in Italy, where the number of deaths may soon overtake China, will now extend beyond the original 25 March end date.
France said its 15-day lockdown might also be extended, with European leaders reluctant to give any deadline for an end to crisis measures.
There have been 207,000 cases worldwide with more than 8,600 deaths. Read more
Old malaria drug hydroxychloroquine may help cure coronavirus: study (NYPost)
A drug developed over half a century ago to treat malaria is showing signs that it may also help cure COVID-19 — especially when combined with an antibiotic, a promising new study reveals.
Hydroxychloroquine, sold under the brand name Plaquenil — and also used to treat arthritis and other ailments — was determined to be effective in killing the deadly bug in laboratory experiments, Forbes reported, citing findings published March 9 in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal.
“(W)e predict that the drug has a good potential to combat the disease,” the study’s authors, most from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan, wrote in a letter published in Cell Discovery on Wednesday, according to the report. Read more
Global death toll from coronavirus tops 9,000 (Guardian)
The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 9,000 people across the globe, according to an AFP tally Thursday based on official sources.
A total of 9,020 deaths were recorded as of 1100 GMT, with 4,134 in Europe and 3,416 in Asia, where the outbreak first emerged in China in December.
With 712 more deaths reported in the past 24 hours and a total of 90,293 cases, Europe is now the region where COVID-19 is spreading the most rapidly. Read more
US jails begin releasing prisoners to stem Covid-19 infections (BBC)
US jails are to let out inmates as cases of coronavirus infections are being reported in prisons.
New York City is releasing “vulnerable” prisoners, the mayor said on Wednesday, days after Los Angeles and Cleveland freed hundreds of inmates.
Prison reform advocates say those in jail are at higher risk of catching and passing on Covid-19.
There have been more than 9,400 cases of Covid-19 and 152 deaths in the US so far, according to estimates. Read more
Tulsi Gabbard drops out of 2020 presidential race, endorses Joe Biden (NYPost)
Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said Thursday that she would suspend her presidential campaign and threw her endorsement to frontrunner Joe Biden.
“Today, I’m suspending my presidential campaign, and offering my full support to Vice President Joe Biden in his quest to bring our country together.”she said in a campaign email, Axios reported.
“I know Vice President Biden and his wife and am grateful to have called his son Beau, who also served in the National Guard, a friend. Although I may not agree with the vice president on every issue, I know that he has a good heart and is motivated by his love for our country and the American people,” she added. Read more
Sumer slams Trabzonspor over Mikel’s sack (Punch)
Former Trabzonspor president, Ozkan Sumer, has slammed the club for terminating the contract of Nigerian midfielder, Mikel Obi.
The former Trabzonspor and Turkey coach also slammed the Turkish Football Federation for failing to call off the league insisting that they can’t guarantee a healthy condition for the players.
Speaking to Trabzon-based website 61saat.com, the legendary coach said, “TFF cannot do anything if the players say ‘I am not playing’. It is cruel to condemn the player to play in a place where no one can guarantee health. It is the most natural right for footballers not to play in the current conditions. Read more
Ribery’s Fiorentina suffer 10 coronavirus cases (Guardian)
Fiorentina owner Rocco Commisso revealed on Wednesday ten members of the Italian outfit have tested positive for coronavirus, with three in hospital.
“The situation is worsening, in the club, we have about ten people affected by this unfortunate disease, three members of staff are in hospital,” Commisso told Sky Sport Italia from the United States.
Players infected include Italian forward Patrick Cutrone, Argentine German Pezzella and Serbia forward Dusan Vlahovic. Read more
Lille could sell Osimhen for €100m – Report (Punch)
A French publication, Le 10 Sport, has predicted that Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen could become the most expensive player sold by French Ligue 1 club Lille in the future.
With growing interests from European giants Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham, the French publication is confident that Lille could be forced to sell the youngster for a fortune.
Osimhen joined the French outfit from Sporting Charleroi for €12m in August 2019 and still has another four-and-a-half-year left on his contract. Read more
Coronavirus: Formula 1 teams are to help in supply of ventilators (BBC)
Formula 1 teams are working with government and health authorities to increase the supply of ventilators during the coronavirus crisis.
Ventilators are a device used to help supply more air to patients with breathing difficulties, one of the effects of severe coronavirus symptoms.
The majority of F1 teams are aiming to work out ways to use their engineering facilities to boost production.
F1 said the aim was to “provide as much help and assistance as we can”. Read more
English football extends shutdown till April 30 (Guardian)
The shutdown of English football was extended until at least April 30 on Thursday after the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) held crisis meetings.
UEFA’s decision to postpone Euro 2020 for 12 months earlier this week could allow games to be completed over the summer if strict restrictions of travelling and mass gatherings to halt the spread of COVID-19 are lifted in time.
“We’ve collectively agreed that the professional game in England will be further postponed until no earlier than Thursday 30 April,” said a joint statement by the Football Association, Premier League, EFL, players and managers’ bodies. Read more
Tokyo Olympics & coronavirus: Lord Coe says too early to decide on cancellation (BBC)
It is too early to decide whether to cancel the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but “nobody is saying we’re going to the Games come what may,” says World Athletics chief Lord Coe.
The International Olympic Committee has said the Games could still begin on 24 July despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Coe told BBC Sport: “Let’s not make a precipitous decision when we don’t have to four months out.
“If you had to ease that date, you’d have to ease it. Anything is possible.” Read more
Cardiff City legend Peter Whittingham dies aged 35 after accidental fall at pub (Metro)
Former Cardiff City, Aston Villa and Blackburn midfielder Peter Whittingham has died at the age of 35 after suffering a head injury from a fall in a pub earlier this month. The highly-regarded footballer had been in hospital with head injuries since 7 March after the incident at a pub in Barry which police believed to be accidental. He has now passed away from those injuries in a tragic development on Thursday afternoon. Read more