Lagos discharges eight more coronavirus patients (Guardian)
Lagos State government on Tuesday announced the discharge of eight coronavirus patients after making full recovery from coronavirus.
“8 more people; 2 females and 6 males have tested negative and fully recovered from #COVID19,” Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said in a statement.
“They have been discharged to return to their families.” Read more
56-year-old COVID-19 patient dies in Lagos (DailyTrust)
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said a 56-year-old Nigerian male, who recently returned from the United States, has died of coronavirus-related complication. The state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this in a tweet posted on his official Twitter handle: @ProfAkinAbayomi.
According to him, this brings the total number of #COVID19-related deaths in Lagos state to six. “13 new cases of #COVID19 infection confirmed. Total number of confirmed cases in Lagos are now 192. Read more
Sanwo-Olu turns attention to security as crimes spike in Lagos (Guardian)
Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said he will be focusing his attention on security and welfare as reports of robberies and violent attacks spiked in the last few days.
The state, Abuja and Ogun have been in lockdown for two weeks. The lockdown was declared by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 31 as one of the measures to combat the spread of coronavirus in the country.
Buhari on Monday said the lockdown will be extended by another two weeks.
Street gangs have capitalised on ease of movements occasioned by empty roads and streets to move freely in large number from one part of the metropolis to another, eyewitnesses said. Read more
Why Amotekun has not taken off, by Commission (Nation)
The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission has explained the reason Amotekun Corps has not taken off in the six Southwest states.
The commission, in a statement by its Director-General Mr. Seye Oyeleye in Ibadan Tuesday, explained that the six states were in the process of recruiting personnel into the corps when coronavirus became a pandemic in March which necessitated restriction of movements and a ban on gathering of people in Nigeria.
The commission initiated the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) codenamed Amotekun in September, last year as a regional response to the growing insecurity in Southwest region. Read more
We can’t lock down North – Northern govs (Punch)
The Northern States Governors’ Forum on Monday met to discuss the impact of coronavirus in the region.
The meeting, which was conducted via teleconference and chaired by the forum’s Chairman, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, shared experiences on measures adopted by individual states to deal with the disease.
A statement by Lalong’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Macham Makut, on Monday, stated that after receiving reports from various states, the governors resolved to strengthen preventive measures against the pandemic through enhanced boundary controls and surveillance, as well as greater collaboration to ensure that there was a synergy among them in restriction of movement. Read more
COVID-19: NLC faults IMF for excluding Nigeria from debt relief (DailyTrust)
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday highlighted why Nigeria should not have been excluded from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) list of countries to benefit from its debt relief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The IMF earlier Tuesday announced the approval of a debt relief fund to 25 countries which are mostly African countries, with Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, excluded from the list. The IMF managing director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva in a statement, said it would provide $500m in grant-based debt service relief to the countries. Those countries enlisted to benefit from the relief fund according to IMF include: Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo D.R., The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia. Read more
EU gives Nigeria €50 million to fight coronavirus (Punch)
The European Union has given Nigeria €50 million to fight the coronavirus disease which has killed at least 10 people in the West African country.
The donation was announced when the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), received in audience the EU Delegation at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja on Tuesday.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, made this known via a tweet.
Adesina said Head of the EU delegation at the event, Amb Ketil Karlsen, who announced the donation, also commended Buhari for extending Lagos, Ogun, and Abuja lockdown.
Karlsen was quoted as describing Buhari’s address to the nation on Monday as “powerful”, adding that the retired general took bold and necessary measures.
“EU gives Nigeria a grant of 50 million Euro to fight COVID-19,” Adesina tweeted. Read more
Lagos residents express dissatisfaction with 14-day lockdown extension (Nation)
Some residents in Festac area of Lagos on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the 14-day extension of the lockdown in the state, saying one week would have been bearable, but not two.
In interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the residents complained that even though they knew that the COVID-19 was dangerous, but hunger was most likely to “finish them” first.
NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari in a broadcast on Monday announced the extension of the lockdown in Abuja and Lagos State as well as Ogun State for another 14 days to further contian the spread COVID-19. Read more
Defunct Sosoliso Airlines Chairman dies of coronavirus in London (Tribune)
Chairman of the defunct Sosoliso Airlines, Mr Victor Ikwuemesi, has died of the coronavirus pandemic in London, a close friend of the family disclosed on Tuesday.
Ikwuemesi, who was said to have been admitted in a London hospital for an undisclosed illness, later tested positive for coronavirus in the hospital.
Confirming the death of the businessman, Mr Ikechi Uko, a close friend of the son of the late Ikwuemesi who happened to be the Managing Director of the airline while his father was the Chairman, described the death of the airline chief as very sad. Read more
World’s shortest woman appeals to Indians to observe coronavirus lockdown (Guardian)
The world’s shortest woman has taken to the streets in central India to call on people to stay at home after police appealed for help enforcing a coronavirus lockdown.
Jyoti Amge, who is just 62.8 centimetres tall, encouraged people to wash their hands and wear a mask and gloves when they leave their homes as she made appearances across Nagpur city in Maharashtra state on Monday.
“Our police officers, healthcare workers, military officers are on the front line battling the virus and saving lives, and I wanted to contribute in my own way, however small,” the 26-year-old told AFP. “I asked people to maintain social distancing and stay home to cut the virus transmission chain.” Read more
China McDonald apologises for Guangzhou ban on black people (BBC)
Notice in McDonalds restaurant saying “We’ve been informed that from now on black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant”.
McDonalds said they closed the restaurant when they found out about the notice
McDonalds in China has apologised after a branch in the industrial city of Guangzhou barred black people from entering.
A video shared on social media showed a notice that read: “We’ve been informed that from now on black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant.”
McDonalds said that when it found out about the notice it temporarily closed the restaurant.
Tensions have been running high between Africans and local people in the city. Read more
93-year-old woman gets hefty Coors Light delivery after viral plea for more beer (NYPost)
A 93-year-old Pennsylvania woman received 150 beers from Molson Coors on Monday in response to her viral plea for more beer during the state’s lockdown, a report said.
Reps from the beverage giant delivered 10 15-packs of Coors Light to Olive Veronesi’s Seminole home, news station KDKA reported.
The senior cracked open a can of the suds with the workers still there. “That tastes pretty good,” Veronesi told the network.
Veronesi said she was down to her last 12 beers when a family member snapped a hilarious photo of her holding a Coors Light can and a whiteboard saying, “I need more beer!!”
“I have a beer every night, you know what, beer has vitamins in it, it’s good for you, as long as you don’t overdo it,” she told KDKA on Monday. Read more
Wisconsin Democrat Jill Karofsky in Supreme Court election upset (BBC)
Democrat Jill Karofsky has ousted Justice Daniel Kelly from his seat at Wisconsin’s top court in a shock win.
The election went ahead despite Democrat calls for it to be postponed, or held by postal voting, owing to coronavirus fears.
Justice Kelly is the second incumbent state Supreme Court justice to be ousted by voters since 1967. He had the support of President Donald Trump.
Wisconsin is expected to be crucial in the presidential election in November.
Former Vice-President Joe Biden looks set to become the Democratic Party challenger to President Trump after his main rival Bernie Sanders dropped out and backed him. Read more
Louis Vuitton reopens workshop to make PPE masks and gowns (Metro)
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, one thing that we are all aware of is the importance of personal protective equipment – PPE.
PPE is vital in protecting key workers and medics while they are treating and caring for sick patients, and it helps to slow the spread of this incredibly infectious virus.
But shortages of PPE have been well documented around the world, and it is a huge concern for everyone working in close proximity to sick patients. So, Louis Vuitton has ditched high fashion and handbags and is using its resources to create vital protective gear instead.
The french designer brand has reopened its workshop in rue du Pont Neuf to produce hospital gowns for Hôpitaux de Paris – the Parisian hospital center. Read more
Obama set to endorse Biden for president (Guardian)
Barack Obama will endorse his longtime deputy Joe Biden for US president Tuesday, sources close to the former commander in chief said, as the Democratic Party rallies around its flagbearer ahead of November’s election.
Obama, a popular two-term president and Donald Trump’s predecessor in the White House, will release a video Tuesday with his endorsement of Biden, the sources said.
The 77-year-old Democratic stalwart and former vice president is the party’s presumptive nominee, after his lone remaining rival, Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race last week. Read more
Measles resurgence fear amid coronavirus (BBC)
Measles outbreaks may occur as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, officials say, because some vaccination programmes are having to be delayed.
Unicef says 117 million children in 37 countries may not get immunised on time.
There have been several large outbreaks in countries across Europe where MMR vaccine uptake has been low.
The UK has already lost its measles-free status, because of rising cases of the potentially deadly infection.
The disease, which causes coughing, rashes and fever, can be prevented by two doses of the mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine, available free to all young children in the UK. Read more
Coronavirus could ‘reactivate’ as number of people infected twice rises (Metro)
More than 100 recovered coronavirus patients have tested positive again in South Korea. Officials said at least 116 people initially cleared of Covid-19 had tested positive again days later. The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) say the virus may have ‘reactivated’ rather than the patients becoming re-infected with it. The cause of the apparent relapses remains under investigation. But some experts have suggested faulty tests may be to blame for the alarming results. Others have pointed to remnants of the bug still in the patients’ systems which are not infectious or any danger to themselves or others. Read more
Bryant remembered on anniversary of NBA farewell (Vanguard)
The anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s 60-point NBA finale was recalled by his widow, Vanessa, on Monday in an Instagram post remembering the late Los Angeles Lakers legend.
“My husband worked his ass off for 20 years,” Vanessa Bryant wrote of her superstar husband, who died in a January 26 helicopter crash with daughter Gianna and seven others.
“Gave it his all. All he wanted was to spend time with our girls and me to make up for lost time. He wanted to be there for every single milestone and special moment in our girls lives.”
The post included a video featuring highlights from the Lakers’ 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016.
Bryant scored 60 points in that, his final game in a 20-year NBA career that included five championships. Read more
Fellaini out of Chinese hospital after coronavirus scare (DailyTrust)
Former Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini was discharged on Tuesday after three weeks in a Chinese hospital being treated for coronavirus, his club said. The 32-year-old Shandong Luneng midfielder, the only player known to have contracted the disease in the Chinese Super League (CSL), will now spend 14 days in quarantine for further observation. The Belgium international said on March 22 that he had tested positive for the virus, having just returned to China, but assured fans that he was feeling fine.
While in hospital in the city of Jinan, Fellaini posted videos of himself on Instagram exercising in his room. Read more
Neuer extension talks stall at Bayern Munich (Guardian)
Chelsea and Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Germany captain Manuel Neuer, whose contract extension talks have stalled at Bayern Munich, according to magazine Kicker.
The goalkeeper’s current deal expires in June 2021 and Neuer, 34, is said to be angry that details of the renegotiations have been leaked to the German press, according to Kicker.
Germany’s top-selling daily Bild claims that Neuer’s agent Thomas Kroth has asked Bayern for a salary for his client of 20 million euros ($22 million) per season. Read more
Klopp reveals how Liverpool players can be fined in lockdown (Vanguard)
Jurgen Klopp says his Liverpool players will be fined in lockdown if they fail to turn up for their Zoom meetings on time.
The Premier League is currently suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic and clubs are having to think of ways to keep their players fit and healthy.
Klopp is thankful for the technology which is helping him and his staff keep in touch with the Liverpool players on a daily basis.
On their virtual catch-ups, Klopp told Liverpool’s official website: “Yeah, some people may say it’s like a normal meeting or normal session we have! But it’s not like this. I like that as well. Read more
German league delays decision on Bundesliga return (Guardian)
The German Football League (DFL) announced Tuesday that a decision about whether the Bundesliga could resume next month has been pushed back by a week until April 23.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the DFL suspended top-flight football in Germany on March 13 until at least April 30.
However, negotiations are taking place to see if the Bundesliga could resume in early May, albeit in near-empty stadiums with fans locked out to restrict the spread of the virus. Read more
Neville would choose Klopp over Guardiola and Solskjaer (Vanguard)
Gary Neville has cited Jurgen Klopp as the current Premier League manager he would most like to play under.
The former Manchester United defender was asked to choose between the 20 top-flight bosses on Sky Sports’ The Football Show and he had no hesitation in choosing the Liverpool man.
“I’d probably say Jurgen Klopp. I just look at the way his teams play at this moment in time, they’re adaptable.
“They do play with possession but they also counter-attack, they’re also competitive. They’re not one-trick ponies and I think it just looks like he’s full of energy, full of belief, confidence, always feel like he wants to attack. Read more