Three COVID-19 Patients Discharged in Uyo

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April 16, 2020

A medical doctor has died of COVID-19 at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

The practising medical doctor died at the isolation ward, after contracting the virus from a patient he had been managing in a private hospital.

The deceased, Doctor Chugbo Emeka becomes the first health worker in Nigeria to die from the novel coronavirus.

Confirming the death, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Professor Chris Bode, says Doctor Chugbo was brought into the facility late on Monday, after showing severe symptoms.

Professor Bode adds that the late doctor once worked with LUTH before going into private practice.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has condoled with the family of the doctor and members of the medical community over the loss.

Doctor Emeka specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology and was a one time Vice President of the National Association of Resident Doctors in LUTH.

COVID-19: Lockdown Extension is Necessary, Peter Obi Backs Buhari

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April 16, 2020

Former Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Peter Obi, has backed President Muhammadu’s extension of the lockdown order aimed at curtailing COVID-19 in the country.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, he also commended efforts made by the Federal Government and respective state governments as well as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for their various efforts.

“For me, the extension of two weeks is necessary and important. It is necessary and important because we don’t have the resources to fight the pandemic if it escalates and spreads.

“The only thing we have now is containment. But in doing so, it is critical we look at ways we can manage this process effectively,” he said.

According to him, the Federal Government should create more testing centres that will help the NCDC detect more COVID-19 cases in the country.

When comparing Nigeria’s testing ability to other African countries, he said: “Right now, our testing process is very low compared to our pairs even in Africa.”

While admitting that there is hunger in the land, the PDP chieftain, therefore, asked the President Buhari administration to act fast in order to cushion the effect of the lockdown.

Part of the measures he explained is for the Federal Government to give each state N10bn each to tackle the COVID-19 lockdown in the country.

Obi’s comment come two days after President Buhari extended the restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In his nationwide broadcast on Monday, the President announced the extension of the lockdown by another two weeks.

BREAKING: Fire Guts Muda Lawal Market In Bauchi [Photos, Video]

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April 16, 2020

Fire has gutted a part of Muda Lawal Market, one of the three major markets in Bauchi metropolis.

Though the cause of the fire was not yet known as at the time of filing this report, efforts are on by men of the State Fire Service, ATBU, Federal Polytechnic and ATAP fire services to put the fire under control.

It is reported that shops and vehicles, which number could not be ascertained, were consumed by the inferno just as goods mostly food items and other stuff worth several millions of Naira were also affected.

See More Photos And Video…..

https://youtu.be/7_N_G8ozkaI

Every State Will Have It’s Share Of COVID-19 – NCDC Boss

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April 16, 2020

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu believes every state in Nigeria will have its share of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Director-General stated this during his appearance on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily.

He stressed that the Nigerian government was making efforts to curb the further spread of the disease, noting that it has been a tough task.

“We have responded to Lassa smoothly and nobody shut down the country because it wasn’t necessary, the response was fairly efficient.

“Now, COVID-19 is on a much larger scale – at the moment in 22 states but it will grow to every state in Nigeria, there is no reason why it won’t – it is a respiratory virus,” the NCDC boss said on Thursday.

He also reacted to the differences in the figures of confirmed COVID-19 cases released by the NCDC and the numbers in some states, especially in Lagos and Kano.

Dr Ihekweazu stated that the health agency has been working hard to tackle coronavirus while the authorities in various states have their roles to play.

He insisted that Nigeria cannot run away from the outbreak and the NCDC would continue to be transparent with the results, to stimulate more response from various aspects of the government.

The NCDC boss said, “We just activated the lab in Kano a few days ago. So, these are the results of the increased testing capacity that we are providing for the country.

“The tests are fairly robust; I can’t say 100 per cent but they are as close to that as possible. We had the highest number of positive cases in a single day.”

“Since the onset of the outbreak, we are testing a lot more (and) that is beginning to show. It is only so much we can do from NCDC; we are working with the state governments.

“They actually own the response at the state and local levels, and we need all of them now. We really have to face the reality that this is an outbreak, this is a virus.

“It will circulate in Nigeria, absolutely no doubt and our responsibility as a country is to prepare more, to be able to detect, isolate, treat, list contacts, and stop transmission,” he added.

Kaduna Converts NYSC Camp To Quarantine Unauthorised Travellers

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April 16, 2020

The Kaduna State government has converted the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp located along the Abuja- Kaduna highway into a quarantine centre.

The state deputy governor, Hadiza Balarabe, confirmed this during an inspection visit to the facility on Thursday along with members of the COVID-19 Task Force in Kaduna.

She explained that the facility would be used to quarantine travellers coming into the state during the lockdown, as part of measures to contain the further spread of coronavirus.

Balarabe warned unauthorised persons coming into Kaduna during the lockdown to better turn back or get ready to be quarantined at the NYSC camp for 14 days to ascertain their COVID-19 status.

She disclosed that similar quarantine facilities have been set up at all the 17 entry points into the state, with a view to curtailing the influx of travellers and reducing the chances of inter-state transmission of coronavirus.

The deputy governor reacted to the allegation of some security operatives collecting bribes from unauthorised motorists and granting them entry into Kaduna.

She said the complaints were being investigated by the relevant authorities with a view to putting a stop to such misconduct.

No Chinese Doctor Has Tested Positive To COVID-19, Says Lai Mohammed

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April 16, 2020

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has dismissed as false, reports suggesting that one of the Chinese doctors that recently arrived in Nigeria, had tested positive for the COVID-19.

Mr Mohammed, who is also a member of the Presidential Task Force (PTF), stated this on Wednesday, during the PTF’a daily media briefing.

He said, “This morning, there was a message that went viral, to the effect that one of the Chinese doctors tested positive and that news was supposed to have emanated from the Twitter handle of the federal government.

“I want to say, to the best of our knowledge here, there’s no such thing.

“I’ve also just received two hate dramas and other fake news while I was sitting here, which I’ve been unable to open. But we will continue to debunk fake news and we’ll try our best to time give you information about the COVID-19, either through our daily press briefings or through the website of the NCDC and the task force”.

News that the Chinese medical experts were coming into the country had split opinion, with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) describing the intervention as an embarrassment to its members.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also asked Nigerians to hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible for an upsurge in COVID-19 infections and deaths following the arrival of the Chinese medical team in the country.

However, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 explained that the Chinese Doctors have only come to complement ongoing efforts to tackle the pandemic.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, stressed that the coming of the Chinese Doctors is part of China’s cooperate social responsibility initiated by CCECC, a company with a total volume of infrastructural contracts in Nigeria worth over N10 billion.

Mr Mustapha who is also Secretary-General of the Federation, appealed to Nigeria’s medical professionals to see the arrival of the Chinese Doctors, as an extension of positive developments in the field of medicine.

COVID-19: Lagos In Fears….”The One Million Boys” Rampage, By Bernard Ogbe

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April 16, 2020

With the health crisis faced by the world, Nigeria is yet to face the worst experience on this Covid-19. Terrorism has surfaced….

The residents of Lagos now live with both the fears of not just the covid-19 but also the threats from the Hood. Tonight, as I write, for Nigerians to know the impendiments faced by Lagosians, every household of Ago palace way, APENA Street and environ are having a compulsory wake keep…. “The One Million Boys Raid”….

How on earth can the federal and Lagos state government allow this to happen? That Nigerians can no longer sleep even with the fright of this Pandemic Covid?

Am not told, am a witness to this terrible unrest melted by the predicament of this covid-19.

Letters were written to location where this “One Million Boys” would attack. Would the federal government sit and watch innocent citizens gnash in fears to what may become if these boys carry out their threats?

The repercussion, if they succeed – looting, rapping, killing are what Mr President Muhammadu Buhari must not allow to come to bear.

Mr President Buhari had signed to protect the lives of Nigerians and that, he must do.

The eventuality, and failure to protect Nigerians “Lagosians” at this time of call is a big failure in the nations entire system.

We await and watch this “One Million Boys” succeed in their threats in any area of Lagos and Nigeria as a whole, then we’ll know, the government is not ready to protect her citizens.

Bernard Ogbe.
Writing from Lagos State.

Hon. Nkole Rewards Loyalist Over 2019 Electoral Victory

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April 15, 2020

The member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal Constituency of Abia State, Hon. Uko Nkole has expressed gratitude to all those who worked for his victory and that of his party, the PDP during the 2019 election in the state, ABN TV reports.

The Federal lawmaker at his hometown on Tuesday said despite his state of health during the election, God used men to ensure he defeats his opponents to emerge the representative of the people at February 23 Rd 2019 National Assembly and the relection of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu and RT Hon Mandela on March 16 2020 Gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections.

He particularly rewarded Mr Michael Onwuka with one motorbike and two bags of rice for to cushion the effect of the stay at home order occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic as a token of appreciation for his loyalty to the PDP led administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Mr. Onwuka ABN TV gathered was the arrowhead in mobilising youths to vote for the PDP during the 2019 General elections in Abiriba.

Hon. Nkole also appreciated other men and women who were instrumental to the victory of the PDP in Abiriba and the Federal Constituency in general, declaring that their rewards will come in coming days.

He also promised Mr. Onwuka more rewards if he continues being loyal to the party, maintaining that the motorbike is in fulfillment of the last aspect of his promise to him.

The lawmaker had come to offer food palliatives to his constituents to cushion the effect of COVID-19 lockdown in the state.

The beneficiary, Mr. Michael Onwuka expressed gratitude to Hon. Nkole, describing the reward as unexpected and pledged to be steadfast while thanking God for giving Abians the gift of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu and Her Excellency Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu and described them as unquantifiable blessings to Abia State .

Our correspondent gathered that Mr. Onwuka has been a political loyalist of Hon. Nkole since 2015.

Ikpeazu Appeals For Calm After NSCDC Official Kills Driver In Abia

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April 15, 2020