US evacuate citizen who tested positive for coronavirus in Lagos (Guardian)
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, has on Wednesday announced an evacuation of an American citizen who tested positive for coronavirus to the United States.
“One of the confirmed case who is an American citizen has been evacuated to USA,” Abayomi said on Twitter on Wednesday.
“The total #COVID-19 cases in Lagos is now 82.”
The commissioner also stated that the last confirmed coronavirus case recorded in the state was on Tuesday, 31st of March.
He noted that eight patients have so far been discharged following their full recovery. Read more
Lockdown: Police disperse Lagos youths playing football (Punch)
Police personnel attached to the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad, on Tuesday, dispersed some youths playing football on roads in the state.
The Commander of the RRS, Olatunji Disu, said the unit visited various places across the state to enforce the lockdown order.
According to him, Maryland, Ojota, Ketu, Mile 12, Owode-Onirin, Majidun, Ogolonto, Agric, Ikorodu, Ojodu-Berger and Magodo areas of the state recorded total compliance.
Disu stated that some youths found playing football on the Ikosi Road and in the Majidun area were enlightened on the importance of social distancing and were later dispersed. Read more
COVID-19: Ikeja Electric suspends disconnection of customers (Guardian)
Ikeja Electric (IE) has announced the suspension of all disconnection activities of non-paying customers for a period of two weeks effective April 1, due to the lockdown of Lagos State caused by COVID-19.
Mrs Folake Soetan, Acting Chief Executive Officer, made the announcement in a statement in Ikeja on Wednesday.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Sunday in a nationwide broadcast announced the 14 days lockdown Lagos State, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory, from 11 pm on March 30, as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. Read more
The rich would have travelled out if COVID-19 was only in Nigeria – Lagosian (Punch)
A Lagosian, Jimoh Taiwo, has said the rich and powerful in Nigeria would have travelled overseas had coronavirus happened only in Nigeria.
Taiwo, a resident of Ikorodu area of Lagos State, told The PUNCH that the politicians and elites, who now appeared to care about the poor and the downtrodden, would have abandoned them to their fate if they had the option to leave the country to a place not affected by the virus.
But he said, unfortunately for them, those places they would have sought refuge are the most hit by the virus, hence, no hideout for them to escape to. Read more
6 killed as truck falls on taxi in Lagos (DailyTrust)
Six passengers lost their lives last Tuesday when a truck with unknown registration number fell on a fully loaded taxi in Lagos.
The accident happened the day the lockdown of Lagos commenced after Epe long bridge inwards Epe Expressway. It was gathered that the OPEL car, with registration number SMK-312ES, was carrying seven passengers but six of them died in the process. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed that the accident occurred on Tuesday evening.
Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyitolu, said: “Investigations revealed that a total of seven people were in the crushed car with six of them having lost their lives on or shortly after impact.” Read more
Covid-19: Compliance rate on restriction order in Ekiti 60 per cent – Police Commissioner (DailyTrust)
The Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr Amba Asuquo, has rated the residents’ rate of compliance with the movement restriction order imposed by Governor Kayode Fayemi at 60 per cent. Gov Fayemi had on Sunday directed residents in the state to stay at home from last Monday as he intensified efforts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus scourge. In his broadcast, the governor imposed a ban on all commercial activities and intra-state travels, but exempted activities bordering on essential services. Expressing regrets that past measures he adopted to curtail the virus were being brazenly ignored, Fayemi said defaulters of this new directive risked a six-month jail term. Read more
Why Cross River denied 35 Americans entry –Ayade’s aide (Punch)
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Christian Ita, has explained why 35 American oil workers were denied entry into Cross River State on Monday.
The Americans, who were on board an Air Peace flight, were said to be working for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation.
In an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, the governor’s aide said, “We insisted that they should go back and be properly tested before they could come in. We have blocked our boundaries; so, if they must come in because the Federal Government wants them to come in and do one or two things, they have to be sure that they are free of infections, because prevention, they say, is better than cure. Read more
COVID-19: What President Buhari has done, and is doing – Presidency (Guardian)
In his broadcast to the nation on Sunday, March 29, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari declared that “in Nigeria’s fight against COVID-19, there is no such thing as an overreaction or under-reaction. It is all about the right reaction by the right agencies and trained experts.”
Lest we forget, below is a chronicle of some of the reactions by the agencies and trained experts, under the leadership of President Buhari. All these are apart from the impressive job being done by some state governors.
· January 28, 2020, (one month before the first case of Corona Virus). Federal Government assured citizens of the country of its readiness to strengthen surveillance at five international airports in the country to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The government announced the airports as Enugu, Lagos, Rivers, Kano and the FCT. Read more
COVID-19 forced us to suspend our services – Sex workers (DailyTrust)
Commercial sex workers in the country have decried the lockdown of some states, especially Lagos and Abuja, saying it has forced them to suspend their services as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The National Coordinator, Nigeria Sex Workers Association, Amaka Enemo, stated this on Tuesday, noting that although sex workers offer “essential services,” they will remain indoors because their services involve “substantial bodily contact”. She added that the association has enlightened its members on the dangers of COVID-19. “There is sensitisation across the country including within our network. Sex workers also offer essential services. However, there is no way sex workers can do their work without body contact. So, they are staying at home to watch what happens. Read more
Coronavirus: Top South African HIV scientist Gita Ramjee dies (BBC)
Tributes are being paid to world-renowned South African scientist Gita Ramjee, who has died from Covid-19-related complications.
“She dedicated many years of her life to finding HIV prevention solutions for women,” her colleague and friend Gavin Churchyard told the BBC.
Head of UNAids Winnie Byanyima said Prof Ramjee’s death was a huge loss at a time when the world needed her most.
South Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV in the world. Read more
Spain death toll hits 9,053 as virus cases pass 100,000 (Guardian)
The coronavirus death toll in Spain surged over 9,000 on Wednesday after a record 864 deaths in 24 hours, with the number of confirmed cases passing the 100,000 marks, the government said.
Spain has the world’s second-highest death toll after Italy, with the virus so far claiming 9,053 lives and the number of confirmed cases reaching 102,136.
But on a day-to-day basis, the rate of new infections continued its downward trend, showing an increase of just over 8.0 percent, compared with nearly 11 percent on Tuesday, health ministry figures showed. Read more
COVID-19: China reports 1,300 asymptomatic virus cases after public concern (Punch)
China on Wednesday said it has more than 1,300 asymptomatic coronavirus cases, the first time it has released such data following public concern over people who have tested positive but are not showing symptoms.
Health officials also reported the first imported case from abroad in Wuhan — the epicentre where the virus first emerged late last year — heightening fears of infections being brought into China from other countries.
Of 36 new cases reported Wednesday, 35 were imported from abroad.
The National Health Commission (NHC) said 1,367 asymptomatic patients were under medical observation, with 130 new cases added in the last day. Read more
Afghanistan and Taliban begin direct talks with aim of prisoner swap (BBC)
Afghanistan has begun its first face-to-face talks with the Taliban on exchanging thousands of prisoners.
Details of the initial meeting in Kabul emerged on Wednesday, ahead of a planned second day of talks, as Afghans observed tight restrictions on movement because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Under a US-Taliban deal, the government will free 5,000 Taliban prisoners, while the militants will release 1,000.
The talks took place against a backdrop of continuing violence in the country. Read more
Putin working remotely after meeting infected doctor: Kremlin (Guardian)
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has decided to handle his duties remotely, the Kremlin said Wednesday after the head of the country’s main coronavirus hospital tested positive following a meeting with the president.
Denis Protsenko, who met with Putin last week as the Russian leader visited the Kommunarka hospital in Moscow, said Tuesday he had been infected with the coronavirus but was feeling well.
“The president prefers these days to work remotely,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, shortly before Putin was due to hold a cabinet meeting by videoconference. Read more
COVID-19: Africans rush for chloroquine despite caution (Punch)
Despite loud appeals for caution, Africans are still rushing to embrace chloroquine, the venerable anti-malaria drug touted as a possible treatment for coronavirus.
From hospitals in Senegal to pharmaceutical companies in South Africa and street sellers in Cameroon, chloroquine has fired hopes of a medicinal fix against a virus that is set to scythe through Africa’s poorly protected countries.
Chloroquine and derivatives such as hydroxychloroquine have been used for decades as cheap and safe drugs against malaria, although their effectiveness in this field is now undermined by growing parasite resistance. Read more
Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia asks Muslims to delay Hajj bookings (BBC)
Saudi Arabia has asked Muslims planning to take part in the Hajj pilgrimage to delay booking amid uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic.
Hajj Minister Mohammed Banten said the kingdom was concerned about the safety of pilgrims and urged people to “wait before concluding contracts”.
Some two million people were expected to travel to Mecca and Medina this July and August for the annual gathering.
Muslims who are physically able must undertake the Hajj once in a lifetime. Read more
Sam Smith changes name of their album due to coronavirus (Metro)
Sam Smith has decided to delay the release of their new album. The singer was due to release their third studio album To Die For on 1 May. Now they have pushed back its release to a later date and will also be renaming the album. Sam said in a statement: ‘To my wonderful fans, firstly I want to send love and strength to everyone who has been affected by this situation. I hope you are all alright during this incredibly weird, upsetting and unprecedented time. Read more
Wimbledon cancelled due to coronavirus – where does that leave tennis in 2020? (BBC)
Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since World War Two because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The tournament was due to be played between 29 June and 12 July.
The entire grass-court season has been abandoned, and there will be no professional tennis anywhere in the world until at least 13 July.
Wimbledon is the latest major summer sporting event to be called off, with Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics postponed for 12 months. Read more
La Liga concert raises more than a million euros for coronavirus fight (Guardian)
La Liga’s online music festival on Saturday raised more than a million euros that will be used to buy medical equipment for the fight against coronavirus, the Spanish football league said on Wednesday.
The funds will be put towards ventilators, protective suits, gloves and masks as Spain continues to battle against the virus that has caused more than 9,000 deaths in the country, according to Wednesday’s latest figures.
La Liga said the concert, which was broadcast on more than 100 platforms simultaneously, commanded an audience from 182 different countries and connected more than 50 million people online. Read more
UEFA postpone all international matches scheduled for June (Punch)
UEFA have made a move towards clearing the decks for the return of club football by announcing on Wednesday that all international matches that had been pushed back to June have now been postponed until further notice.
“This includes the play-off matches for UEFA EURO 2020 and qualifying matches for UEFA Women’s EURO 2021,” said European football’s governing body in a statement.
“All other UEFA competition matches, including the centralised international friendly matches, remain postponed until further notice.” Read more
Tributes paid to ex-Olympique Marseille president Diouf (Guardian)
Tributes poured in Wednesday for former Marseille president Pape Diouf, who has died aged 68 after contracting the coronavirus.
Diouf, who became the first-ever black president of a top European football club, died on Tuesday in Dakar, his family told AFP.
The former journalist and football agent led the club between 2005-2009 and helped build the side that lifted the Ligue 1 title in 2010. Read more
Spurs cut non-playing staff wages as Levy pockets £7 million (DailyTrust)
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy announced 550 non-playing staff at the club will see their wages cut by 20 percent for the next two months on the same day it was revealed he was paid £7 million ($8.7 million) last season. Spurs accounts to June 30, 2019 revealed Levy was paid a £3 million bonus, which was due on completion of Tottenham’s new 62,000 stadium, on top of his £4 million salary. Read more
Moto GP: Andreas Iannone banned for 18 months for failing a drugs test (BBC)
MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone has been given an 18-month ban for failing a drugs test.
Iannone, 30, was provisionally suspended in December after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The ban is backdated to the date of his original suspension, meaning he will be unable to compete until June 2021.
As a result, the Italian will miss the rest of the 2020 MotoGP season as well as the opening rounds of next year. Read more
Dani Ceballos admits uncertainty over Arsenal future due to coronavirus (Metro)
Dani Ceballos admits he is unsure over his Arsenal future with his loan deal due to expire at the end of June but insists he wants to be ‘important for my new team’. The midfielder had recovered from a hamstring injury and worked his way back into Mikel Arteta’s plans before the coronavirus outbreak halted the season. Ceballos was due to return to Real Madrid this summer but with the Premier League season now extended indefinitely, the Spaniard’s future is up in the air. ‘I finish my contract on June 30. I would have to play for Arsenal, I don’t know how [it would work],’ Ceballos said in an interview with El Chiringuito. Read more