The Ondo State Government has directed all civil servants from grade levels 1 to 12 to stay at home in order to control the spread of the COVID-19. 

According to a statement on Monday, the government through its spokesman, Donald Ojogo, banned all political, social and religious gatherings for at least 14 days.

The statement reads, “Government hereby places a total ban on all political, social and religious gatherings in the state for 14 days in the first instance.

“Gatherings at clubs, pubs are prohibited until further notice.

“All civil servants from Grade Levels 01-12, except those on essential duties as may be determined by their respective accounting officers and chief executives, are hereby advised to stay at home for now.”

The Ondo State Government stated that in its strong resolve to stem the influx of an undeterminable number of persons in their hundreds into the State especially from unverifiable areas, it has already directed the Commissioner of Police and heads of other security agencies to enforce all regulations in respect of crowd control as spelt out by the Government.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has ordered the suspension of all official engagements till further notice as part of the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the state.

In a broadcast on Monday at the Government House in Kano, the state capital, the governor also directed the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to direct all owners of all Event Centres in the state, to suspend all activities till further notice.

“Ministry of Tourism and Culture should liaise with the owners of all event centres across the state, to stop their businesses henceforth, for the general health of the society. This position is hard and necessary for our well being,” he stated.

He also asked transport Unions to complement the efforts of the state government in making proper arrangement in the motor parks.

Tasking religious leaders on their roles towards containing the virus, Ganduje said: “Our Traditional and religious leaders are part of the major stakeholders in this collective effort.

“Hence it is very important for them to properly regulate all worship centres. All as proactive measures against Covid-19.”

Speaking further, the governor asked residents of the state to avoid gathering of more than 20 people for their safety, the safety of the society and their families.

He also advised parents to always help their wards in observing the health instructions given by medical personnel of the state government.

“While these measures are being instituted, other measures have been taken by closing all schools across the State and minimizing social gatherings, we have established a high powered Taskforce under the leadership of His Excellency the Deputy Governor, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna,” he stated.

The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, CP Imohimi Edgal, has warned personnel of the State Police Command to avoid unnecessary arrest and detention of suspects.

He specifically gave the warning to Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Tactical Commanders in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, N-Nudam Fredrick, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

He explained that the directive by the police commissioner was in line with the guidelines issued by the Federal and Akwa Ibom State governments to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

Fredrick revealed that the State Police Command has commenced the enforcement of social restriction orders, in compliance with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

According to him, the police commissioner has directed all officers to observe personal safety measures in the course of discharging their duties.

Similarly, Edgal ordered the immediate release on bail of suspects whose cases were bailable and cautioned officers that suspects involved in capital offences must be screened before detention and charged to court as quickly as possible.

He also urged the people of Akwa Ibom State to avoid social visits to police stations and other police offices, as well as minimise official visits except when such was absolutely necessary.

Spain’s death toll from coronavirus surged by 514 today, a 23.6 per cent increase which takes the total to 2,696.

The latest figures from the Spanish health ministry mark the country’s largest one-day increase in deaths since the outbreak began.

The overall number of infections also rose sharply, jumping by 6,584 – an increase of nearly 20 per cent – to reach a total 39,673.

The latest jump comes a day after Spanish soldiers were revealed to have found dead and dying people abandoned in multiple care homes, after the army was called in to disinfect the properties over virus fears.

Spain’s defence minister Margarita Robles said the military had found ‘some old people completely abandoned, sometimes even dead in their beds’.

Some people’s bodies were found under the same roof as loved ones who were still alive, Spanish media says.

Reports say that some care home staff had been sent home after virus outbreaks were detected at the properties, making it likely that elderly residents were infected.

Spain’s general prosecutor has launched an investigation as authorities promised to be ‘strict and inflexible’ about safeguarding older people.

The Spanish military were mobilised to focus on elderly care homes towards the end of last week.

State prosecutors have already announced they are investigating a Madrid care home where at least 17 people have died.

Monte Hermoso, near the Spanish capital’s biggest park Casa de Campo, was identified last week as the first care home rocked by mass deaths due to coronavirus.

Regional health chiefs confirmed yesterday that 21 people had died at a care home in Alcoy near Alicante identified as Domus Vi.

-Daily Mail