Television Nigerian

By Bose Adelaja

What could have resulted into an explosion in Lagos State  was averted, yesterday, when a  pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was discovered to have been tampered with by some unknown persons.

A  combined team of emergency responders was able to avert the disaster.

READ ALSO: Lagos Emergency Food markets: Ikorodu residents flock out to get essentials for homes

The Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the pipeline, supplying Premium Motor Spirit (fuel) along Aboru/Mosan Bus-stop, off Cacatin Area, Ipaja, was discovered to be criminally diverted at about 6am but as soon as this was noticed, emergency responders were deployed to the area.

He said their prompt arrival revealed that the leakage was from a major NNPC pipe which had been tampered  to continuously divert and siphon fuel.

Vanguard

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•US deaths exceed 7,000


•Casualties in UK rise above 700 in 24 hrs


•Italy nears breaking point


•India warns of lock down extension

By Victor Tunde Oso (with agency report)

Coronavirus deaths have hit 61, 174 globally from 1, 140, 129 cases worldwide with 236, 229 victims fully recovering from the pandemic case. United States has 7,159 casualties and United Kingdom recorded an increase of 708.

In a horror-like movie, bodies are strewning the streets of Ecuador owing to the near collapse of public services in the country’s most populous city of Guayaquil.

U.S deaths surpass 7,000 as 90% Americans affected by stay-at-home order

The US has surpassed 7,000 deaths and some state leaders say there’s still a lot they’re missing in the battle against the coronavirus. Even as case tallies continue to rise, state leaders say they still don’t have enough tests to get a clear picture of infections.

“Everything about the tests are very difficult to come by, and there’s no federal plan for this, so every state is on their own,” Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker said. “As I’ve said, it’s the Wild West out here.” At least 278,458 people in the United States have become infected and 7,159 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University’s running case count.

At least 90% of the country — 297 million Americans — are affected by some kind of stay-at-home order. State governments have asked residents to shelter in place and go out only for essential services, with the goal of encouraging social distancing, and thereby reducing the spread of the coronavirus and “flattening the curve” so healthcare systems aren’t overwhelmed.

UK deaths rise above 700 in 24 hours

The latest United Kingdom coronavirus figures have been released by the government.

Officials says that as of 17:00 BST on Friday, 3 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 4,313 have died – an increase of 708 from the previous day.

READ ALSO: US evacuates citizen who tested positive for COVID-19 in Nigeria

As of 09:00 BST on Saturday a total of 183,190 people have been tested of whom 41,903 have tested positive.

Fears of crisis looms in Tokyo

The daily count of new coronavirus cases has doubled in the past week, from about 40 in the final days of March to 97 on Thursday and 89 on Friday, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. If the current trend continues, the outlook is bleak, said Kentaro Iwata, an infection control specialist from Kobe University, who has repeatedly warned that Japan isn’t doing enough to halt the spread of the virus. “Japan needs to have the courage to change, when we are aware we are on the wrong path,” Iwata said. “We might see the next New York City in Tokyo.”

Bodies left on the streets in overwhelmed Ecuador

The streets of Ecuador’s western city of Guayaquil are deserted, with few residents in sight — and a few dead, as bodies are being left in the streets of this overwhelmed place.

The coronavirus pandemic is overloading the public services in the country’s most populous city to a point of collapse. Hospitals have no beds left to accept sick patients, and morgues, cemeteries and funeral homes are straining. With no place left to put them, some residents say they have no choice but placing them outside.

China remembers the dead

Just before the allocated time for a three-minute pause to remember those who’ve died from the coronavirus in China, it seemed as though the idea could be a non-starter.

We went out to a random crossroads in Beijing to see how many people would participate and, at a few minutes to 10:00 (03:00 BST), there was no sign that anything would happen.

Then, bang on 10:00, we heard what sounded like an air-raid siren go off nearby.

Suddenly cars stopped. People stopped. A car horn, then another and another. Soon a cacophony of noise filled the street as more and more drivers joined in.Pedestrians bowed their heads, as did bike riders sitting still next to the frozen traffic.

Spain’s Coronavirus patients surpass Italy

Spain’s Covid-19 cases have surpassed Italy as Europe’s two main epicenters continue to grapple with curtailing the virus. A slower pace of fatalities and new cases though is offering hope that Spain’s outbreak may be edging toward a peak.

Confirmed cases increased by 7,026 to 124,736 over the past 24 hours, according to Health Ministry data, while deaths rose by 809 to 11,744. Total cases are now higher than Italy’s 119,827.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is likely to extend a national lock down for another two weeks until April 26, according to reports in local media. The restrictions had already been extended until April 11.

Italy nearing breaking point

Four weeks into a nationwide lock down, very few Italians are still singing from their balconies or banging pots and pans in solidarity. Instead, flags were lowered to half-staff this week for the nearly 15,000 coronavirus victims including doctors, nurses and health care professionals who have perished since February 23.

The lock down, which was originally scheduled to end Friday, April 3, has now been extended to beyond Easter, and Italians from north to south are nearing a breaking point just as the draconian measures have begun to show signs of stopping the spread of Covid-19.

Death toll rise by 168 in Germany

In Germany meanwhile the number of coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases climbed further, a day after Robert Koch Institute President Lothar Wieler warned the country might require further intensive-care space. Germany has boosted capacity by more than 40% since the outbreak began.

Deaths rose by 168 to 1,275 on Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Some 91,159 people are infected, the third highest in Europe, with new cases rising 6,365 from Friday. The death rate in Europe’s largest economy has been well below the levels seen in Italy and Spain, but government officials and health care experts insist it’s too early to ease social distancing rules and transport restrictions.

India warns of lock down extension

The number of confirmed new coronavirus cases in South Asia country of India neared 6,000 on Saturday, even as authorities in some cities tightened restrictions on movement and warned lockdowns could be extended in a bid to rein in the pandemic.

“If people don’t obey the rules seriously and cases continue to rise, then there may be no option but to extend the lock down,” Rajesh Tope, the Health Minister of Maharashtra State, which includes the financial hub, Mumbai, told Reuters. “It could be extended in Mumbai and urban areas of Maharashtra by two weeks.”

Vanguard

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FORMER Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has asked the Federal Government to focus on producing manual ventilators as the COVID-19 pandemic escalates in the country.

In a statement entitled ‘Just thinking aloud’, Mimiko asked Nigerians to look inwards as they face the COVID-19 challenge.

“The time is now for Nigerians to prepare for the worst case scenario and look inwards to carve out its own peculiar strategies”, he said.

While noting that the President’s recent address should give added momentum to the combat against the killer virus, the former governor said that “the most crucial equipment at the clinical stage is the mechanical ventilator, the scarcity of which is now global”, saying, obviously, Nigeria does not have enough to match a population of 200 million people.

“While trying to procure more of this life-saving gadget which are hardly available anyway, we should start mobilizing massively for manual ventilators and start training paramedics who may be called to use them as instruments of last resort in emergency”, he said.

“Even New York is already making arrangements in case it needs to go through that route.

“I am sure that if we ransack medical stores in hospitals around the country, we may be able to retrieve a lot of old fashioned manual ventilators that can be fixed for use and also importantly to serve as prototype for local production.

READ ALSO: Akeredolu condoles with Mimiko over mother’s death

“Local companies like Innoson Motors, though may face challenges trying to produce modern type mechanical ventilators because of sophisticated software and electronic parts, will produce any type of manual ventilators as quickly as would other similar or related local industries, if challenged.

“After all, the basic principle of most types of ventilators, positive pressure creators, is more or less the same as that of time honored bellows that our traditional smiths were so dexterous at”.

The former governor expressed doubts about any effort by government officials to engage Innoson since their reported claim against its capacity to produce ventilators.

“Simultaneously, we must start mobilizing our local capacity and start building oxygen plants for what may turn out to be an astronomical demand”.

He added that the troubling issue is how to sustain a stay-at-home order when perhaps up to 40 percent of our adult population earn their daily bread on daily basis.

While appreciating governors already trying to provide food palliatives to households, Mimiko said: “In 2016, in Ondo State, we delivered food palliatives to about 150,000 households, seamlessly in 3 weeks!”

He advocated that N20, 000 palliative be given to every Nigerian with a BVN account to cushion the effect of the pandemic

“We are quick to complain of lack of data, but we have BVN”,

“I’m told we have 40 billion BVN accounts. Adopting a benchmark of say annual turnover of below 360,000 needing palliative, and assuming that up to 50 percent, i.e. 20million qualify for palliative, say 20,000 Naira each, that will amount to just about 40billion Naira which we must find.

A Non-goverment Organisation, WASHMATA Initiative, Saturday, expressed worry over silence by Presidential Task Force on control of Coronavirus, COVID-19, on clean water supply and accessibility by Nigerians to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

Expressing concern over lack of clean water to Nigerians despite rising number of infected persons with the virus, the Executive Director, WASHMATA Initiative, Dr Boluwaji Onabolu, in a statement signed by her pointed out that there is need for urgent inclusion of the Minister for Water Resources, Commissioners for Water Resources and Heads of the Rural Water, Supply and Sanitation Agencies in the National and State Task Forces for COVID-19.

The statement reads in part, “Firstly, as a Public Health Expert with over a decade of work experience with the United Nations in various countries and capacities focused on ensuring water supply, sanitation and hygiene, I would like to commend the efforts of the Nigerian government through the Presidential Task Force on the control of COVID-19.

“However, the silence of the Presidential Task Force on the provision of adequate quantities of water for people to wash their hands with soap under running water for 20 seconds as is being recommended by the WHO and the NCDC for the effective control of COVID 19 is very worrisome.

“In a country where two-thirds of the populace lack clean drinking water, 94 per cent of the health facilities and almost all the overcrowded motor parks and markets (91%) lack water, sanitation and handwashing facilities; a plan to urgently and systematically provide WASH services, in the  COVID-19 National response is critical otherwise it may result in an exponential rise in coronavirus cases as is being seen in ‘superpowers’ USA and Italy.

“We entreat the task force and all citizens at large to understand that it will be extremely difficult for many Nigerians especially the poor and vulnerable, living in overcrowded urban slums and rural areas, to adhere to the handwashing recommendation, thereby, rendering the Task Force’s laudable interventions ineffective.

“Prevention and Treatment need water!  Simply put “how can the citizens of Nigeria implement the preventive measure to wash hands with soap under running water for 20 seconds  if there is no running water”?”

The statement also added, “Furthermore, the isolation centers cannot function hygienically without adequate water, supply and sanitation thus unduly increasing the risk of infection of the extremely important medical personnel.

“The WHO Guidelines to countries on the effective use of this lockdown period includes the equipping of treatment centers with critical facilities.

“It is not just about infrastructure, there have been several instances of citizens insisting that there is no COVID-19 in the country or washing their mouths with sanitizer due to a lack of sensitisation.

“The WASH sector is trained in community mobilization and sensitization using water as an entry point into resistant communities, after all in the words of a famous musician everyone loves water; i.e ‘water no get enemy’.

“The relegation of the Water supply, Sanitation and Hygiene sector to the distant background is alarming and indicates a gap in the global best practice of collaboration between WASH and Health which is required to prevent the coronavirus from spreading like wild-fire in Nigeria.

“A key indicator of the poor integration of WASH into the COVID-19 response plan is the absence of the Minister for Water Resources on the Presidential Task Force, though the Ministry is statutorily responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene services in the country; a major component of the global responses to COVID-19.”

The organization also warned that it will be disastrous if the issue of water is not urgently given attention.

“We must do all we can not to go down the route of the USA, Italy, and Spain; failing to implement preventive measures, their normally robust health systems are overwhelmed, and medical personnel is being infected.

“The present response can be strengthened by incorporating the WASH in emergencies partnership with the Health sector. We must join hands to prevent the spread”, it stressed.

Meanwhile, the organization also recommended that “Urgent inclusion of the Minister for Water Resources, Commissioners for Water Resources and Heads of the Rural Water, Supply and Sanitation Agencies in the National and State Task Forces for COVID-19

“Support the FMWR, SMWR, and RUWASSAs to trigger the WASH disaster response mechanism already in place for WASH-related emergencies such as COVID-19

“Collaborate with the FMWR, SMWR, and RUWASSAs to ensure that facilities at which COVID-19 cases are managed have adequate water supply, sanitation, and handwashing facilities.

“We commend the Federal Government of Nigeria on actions taken so far and entreat that in the interest of all Nigerians they will implement our recommendations.”

Determined to assist Delta State to stay free of coronavirus cases and enhance the government’s readiness to manage possible incidence of COVID-19, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, First Hydrocarbon Nigeria (FHN) and ND Western have donated critical medical equipment and materials to the state.

The essential medical supplies donated by the independent oil and gas companies included high power suction machines, infusion pumps, syringe drivers, personal protective equipment (PPE), and nebulizer omron.

Other vital medical materials that were delivered by SEPLAT, FHN and ND Western to the state government comprised temperature gun, hand sanitizers and examination gloves.

Receiving the items at new General Hospital, Asaba, the Delta State capital, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, commended the oil companies for coming together to support the state at this crucial time.

He said: “The governor of Delta State is very appreciative of this laudable gesture by these oil and gas companies. This donation is a clear proof that SEPLAT, FHN and ND Western, are credible and dependable partners of the government and people of this state and there is no doubt that the materials and equipment provided by them will boost our effort to put in place a robust response to the threat posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“Though we do not have any Coronavirus case in the state, as a responsible and proactive government, His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who is a medical doctor himself, has put in place several measures to keep the infection away from the state, including stay-at-home order, social distancing, shutdown of   schools, market and night clubs, ban of all social and religious gatherings, restriction of movement across the state borders, as well as designating and equipping facilities in Asaba, Warri and Oghara to increase our capacity to control and contain the outbreak.”

While assuring the companies that the equipment and materials donated would be distributed and utilized judiciously, he called on other oil and gas companies operating in the state to emulate the gesture of the three companies.

Even though  coronavirus disease is yet to be re-corded in the state, the Commissioner for Health noted that  government had continued to take precautionary measures to prevent the disease from entering the state.

He added that the state government has set up four well equipped state-of-the-art isolation and test centres in Asaba, Warri, and Ogharra in a bid to show seriousness and preparedness of the government in case of any eventuality.

Speaking at the event, the General Manager, External Affairs and Communications, Dr Chioma Nwachuku, who was represented by the Base Manager, Western Assets, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Mr Emmanuel Otokhine, said the company made the donation to support the state government in raising its level of preparedness and in proactively dealing with the challenges of preventing and managing a global pandemic like COVID-19.

“The NPDC/SEPLAT JV’s decision to support the government and people of Delta State is consisting with our wider corporate social responsibility strategy of consistently creating and distributing value to our stakeholders. We hope these essential medical supplies, particularly those that are in short supply at the moment because of the global upsurge in demand, will help to fill gaps that might otherwise have been left unfilled and go a long way to keep people that reside in Delta State safer.

“We recognise that only a collective effort can defeat the threat of COVID-19 pandemic and have, therefore, chosen to stand by the government to enhance its ability to manage the challenge thrown up by Coronavirus. The action of our company and our partners becomes even more significant when you consider the fact that, as a new health challenge, no government in the country can boast of enough essential medical supplies to deal with the threat. The items we have donated will come in handy for medical personnel and ordinary patient and people in the state”, Otokhine stated.

Speaking in the same vein, the representative of First Hydrocarbon Nigeria, Blessyn Okpowo said the management of his company is deeply impressed with the commitment and proactive measures taken by the Delta State government to prevent Coronavirus from entering the state, adding that as a company with operational base in the state, it has become necessary to support and partner with the government in order to fight the scourge of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

Similarly, the representative of ND Western and the General Manager, Community Affairs and Security, Sheidu Aiguedo, said the donations would complement the efforts of the state government in the fight against Coronavirus.

He said it’s obvious that the fight against this disease cannot be left in the hands of the government alone, hence the need to partner with the state.