Television Nigerian

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that it is committed to providing information to Nigerians on the Novel  Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak in the country.

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General of NCDC, made this known  on Thursday in Abuja, while giving an update on COVID-19 in the country.

Ihekweazu said that was the more reason the Presidential Task Force held daily news briefing.

READ ALSO:Right or wrong: Nigerians debate as Min of Finance begs Elon Musk for ventilators

“Please listen for updates. We can flatten the curve, if we join hands together,” he advised.

The NCDC DG said that the agency had also updated list of State Emergency numbers.

“If anyone requires testing they should contact their states through the listed numbers.

“Provide relevant details e.g. travel history, and stay at home and wait for further advice,” he said.

He, however, advised Nigerians that they needed to reduce their contacts with each other.

“This way, even cases we have not yet found have less chance of transmitting the virus to others,” he advised.

NAN reports that as at 7:30 p.m April, 1, there were 174 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria, 9 had been discharged with two deaths.

There were 82 cases in Lagos  Abuja – 28, Oyo– eight; Osun– 14; Ogun– four; Kaduna-three; Enugu– Two, Edo– Four and Bauchi-Two, Ekiti-Two, while Rivers and Benue had one case each.

There are 23 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria- nine from Lagos , seven from FCT, five from Akwa Ibom and one each from Bauchi and Kaduna states.

The cases reported were from travellers who had just returned to the country.

Other cases were from people who had come in contactwith infected people. 

Vanguard

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Mountain goats roam the streets of Wales, UK.

As coronavirus leaves the world’s major cities deserted by humans, animals have been spotted enjoying the peace and quiet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The global outbreak of the virus has seen many countries such as Spain, Italy, Japan and Chile, as well as the UK, impose a lockdown on citizens.

But mother nature is making the most of the situation as various wild animals have been spotted reclaiming the streets.

The animals are breaking cover to explore the world’s most densely-populated areas, which have been abandoned due to the coronavirus lockdown.

In the town of Llandundo in Wales, UK, mountain goats were seen roaming free on the streets.

A local councillor told the BBC that the herd was drawn this time by the lack of people and tourists due to the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine measures

In Odisha, India, Olive Ridley Turtles were seen along the coastline in their hundreds undisturbed by human interference.

In east London, a herd of 100 deer, believed to have come from nearby Dagnam Park, got comfortable at a housing estate in Harold Hill.

A herd of deer decided to rest in a housing estate in Harold Hill, Romford, east London

Similar scenes have been captured in the ancient Japanese capital of Nara, where around 100 deer were seen casually walking around the city.

Spotted deer were also seen wandering along a road in the city of Tirupati, located in India’s populous Uttar Pradesh region during the nation’s lockdown of 1.3 billion people.

ALSO READ: Spain sheds nearly 900,000 jobs since coronavirus lockdown

In the north of Italy, wild boar have been seen roaming regions such as Bergamo, with one filmed tottering through empty cobbled streets with her little ones in tow.

While Bergamo in northern Italy is one of the country’s worst affected areas, this wild boar took her piglets out for a wander

Paris also became a playground for a pack of wild boar making the most of the city, while crowds in the French capital have vanished during lockdown.

And in the Chilean capital Santiago, Puma were seen on the streets of the city, the fourth most populous metropolis in South America.

A one-year-old puma prowls the streets of Santiago, Chile.

According to Chile’s Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), puma came down from the nearby mountains in search for food as less people are seen in the streets due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Lagos shuts Agege Central Mosque over attack on COVID-19 Taskforce

The Lagos State Government has shut the Agege Central Mosque after some worshippers attacked members of the State COVID-19 Taskforce mandated to monitor and enforce compliance against public gatherings exceeding 25 people. Executive assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on public relations and new media, Olusegun Fafore, confirmed this on Thursday afternoon.

Lagos shuts Agege Central Mosque over attack on COVID-19 Taskforce
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The Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has deleted its tweet requesting for ventilators from South African billionaire, Elon Musk.

Mr Musk, who is also a citizen of the US and Canada, had on Tuesday said his company, Tesla, would distribute ventilators to hospitals worldwide within the company’s delivery regions.

The ministry late Wednesday then tweeted in response, saying Nigeria needs about 100 to 500 ventilators to help with the fight against the coronavirus.

“Dear @elonmusk @Tesla Federal Government of Nigeria needs support with 100-500 ventilators to assist with #Covid19 cases arising every day in Nigeria,” it said.

READ ALSO: Nigerians embarrassed as Ministry of Finance begs Elon Musk, Tesla for ventilators on Twitter

However, a statement on Thursday by the Special Adviser, Media and Communications, to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Yunusa Abdullahi, said the tweet was ‘unauthorised’ and had been pulled down.

“An unauthorised post was made on the verified Twitter handle of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning,” he said.

“The fact of the post is regrettable because of which it is brought down.

“We have made sure our internal processes are strengthened that such doesn’t happen again. The error is highly regrettable.”

Nigerians have been dragging the ministry on Twitter, saying it should have made a formal request to the billionaire for ventilators.

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**Orders tight security around vulnerable targets

IGP Mohammed Adamu

By Kingsley Omonobi – Abuja.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu has cautioned officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force currently deployed for the enforcement of the lockdown and social restriction orders to ensure that the rights of Nigerians are not infringed upon under any pretext.

Also, persons on essential duties, duly exempted from the restriction orders, should be accorded due courtesies and unfettered access to and fro their places of duty.

A statement by Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba said, “The IGP notes that the global community is now in extra-ordinary times, with the lockdown taking its tolls on every component of our national life.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Avoid social visits to stations, don’t make unnecessary arrests, IGP cautions Nigerians, officers

“Therefore, all police officers deployed for the enforcement of these restriction orders must be professional, humane and tactful and must show utmost respect to the citizenry.

“To this end, the IGP has directed Command Commissioners of Police to immediately commence conduct monitoring of Police Officers deployed on enforcement duties in their areas of responsibilities.

“The IGP has equally charged Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) across the nation to ensure adequate supervision of personnel under their watch, as well as due compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure guiding this special task.

“The AIGs and CPs are also to ensure robust anti-crime patrols and surveillance around vulnerable targets such as medical facilities, shops and markets, residential areas, financial institutions, and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) points, amongst others so that criminals do not take undue advantage of the current COVID-19 challenge to perpetrate crimes against the citizenry.

“Meanwhile, the IGP has expressed profound gratitude to Nigerians for their resilience and voluntary compliance with the social restriction orders and cooperation with the Police at all times.

“He urges citizens to continue to observe all precautionary measures issued by relevant health authorities in order for the nation to defeat this pandemic.”

Vanguard News Nigeria.

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By Chioma Obinna

Leaders of the World Medical Association, WMA, have described as ‘deplorable’ the fact that even in the world’s most affluent countries, health care professionals have to deal with the coronavirus pandemic with insufficient personal protection.

The physician leaders opined that when the pandemic ends, there must be a political investigation into the availability and effectiveness of supply chains.

In a press statement made available to Vanguard, in Lagos,  jointly signed by the President of the WMA, Dr. Miguel Jorge and Chair of the WMA Council, Dr. Frank Montgomery mourned the loss of physicians and all health care professionals, describing it as ‘a bitter toll’.

READ ALSO: COVID-19 Lockdown: IGP warns Policemen against trampling on citizens rights

“We express our solidarity with the physicians and all the health professionals, care workers, and informal caregivers who are looking after patients every day. Much of the time they are doing their work without minimum standards of personal protection. It is deplorable that even in the world’s most affluent countries the simplest standards of protection cannot be maintained and health care professionals are sent defenseless into the burning fire of infection.

‘Furthermore, there are not enough staff, not enough equipment, and not enough places in intensive care units’.

The WMA leaders urge governments across the world and the World Health Organisation, WHO, to urgently provide all health care units in need with the necessary protective equipment (PPE), and to set up sustainable supply chains for PPE.

The duo in the statement also called for action to build and distribute a sufficient number of ventilators to care for ailing patients and for an assurance that there is a sufficient amount of beds in intensive care units to treat all patients without compromising ethical decisions.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: LASTMA warns motorists against flouting movement restriction

They further demanded that at the end of the pandemic there should be a political investigation into the availability and effectiveness of supply chains and the risks of globalization in world-threatening pandemic situations.

The WMA had in January issued an urgent call to governments and the WHO to set up an international supply chain for medicines and supplies to help health professionals fight the spread of coronavirus.

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LASTMA personnel on parade in Lagos

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Thursday reminded motorists that they are not exempted from the government’s restriction of movement.

The agency advised motorists to comply with the government’s directive and desist from any action that could bring regret to them if caught on the road.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Sunday ordered the cessation of movements in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for an initial period of 14 days with effect from Monday.

Buhari said the step was aimed at halting the spread of coronavirus.

The LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Olajide Oduyoye, who commented on the directive, said the level of compliance by motorists in the state was pretty good.

He,  however, advised motorists not to defy the order, warning that those caught violating it would regret their action.

• READ ALSO: COVID-19: Why number is still low in Nigeria — Delta Monarch

Oduyoye said: “I think the compliance level to the movement restriction is still within the region of between 90 percent and 95 percent.

“You may feel you want to take a risk and you think you will get away with it but note that once you are caught, you will regret that action because there is a purpose for everything.

“The government has said to the people: stay-at-home; keep your vehicles at home, there is no need for you to be on the road.”

The LASTMA chief, who advised those still defying the order to have a rethink, said the government directive was for the good of all residents.

“The enforcement agencies – LASTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), police and others are on the road to ensure compliance by the public.

“When they catch any motorist on the road and he does not have an identity card to explain the purpose of your journey, or the reason why you are on the road, you will regret that action.

“The good thing for all is to try not to do anything that we will regret,” Oduyoye said. (NAN)

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