Two patients, Abbas Hassan, a 24-year-old male and Hauwa Mohammed, 42-year-old female, are on the run after testing positive for COVID-19 at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in Borno State.
The man is said to be residing at Layin Tanki in Gwange II while the woman lives in Shuwari ward, both in Maiduguri.
The Borno State Commissioner for Health and secretary to the state’s response team for the prevention and control of COVID-19, Dr Salisu Kwaya-Bura, alerted the public at the team’s daily media briefing held on Sunday.
The commissioner said the male patient (Abbas) was in initial telephone contact with the response team after his sample was collected, but eventually switched off his phone when he learnt he tested positive.
He noted that a diligent surveillance and investigation team was working very hard to track the patient.
Kwaya-Bura called on anyone who test positive to the disease not to regard it as a death sentence, noting that majority of those who test positive have recovered.
The commissioner disclosed that 16 of Borno’s COVID-19 cases emanated from community transmission, while 14 others were connected with the index and another case..
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, says President Muhammadu Buhari will determine when to lift the lockdown order in Lagos, Abuja and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ehanire disclosed this on Sunday while speaking on the efforts made by the Federal Government to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“The President will make that announcement in his own time. We will give him the facts, he will consider the facts and make his own announcements using his own wisdom,” the Minister said.
In order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the country, President Buhari had on March 29 declared a total lockdown.
While directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT for an initial period of 14 days, Buhari asked all citizens in the affected areas to stay in their homes, adding that travel to or from other states should be postponed.
Two weeks after the expiration, the President extended the lockdown on April 13 for another two weeks.
But when asked if it is professionally wise to relax the lockdown or to extend it, the Minister did not affirm or oppose the question.
He believes that every country has the right to balance the medical and health-related benefits from the economic-related benefits.
According to him, the decision of whether or not to extend the lockdown has to be tailored according to the needs of Nigerians.
“What happens is that every country, you balance the medical and the health-related benefits from the economic-related benefits because you have an economy you don’t want to kill and you also have the health side that you don’t want to destroy.
“It’s a very delicate balance which you need to do. All countries do that; it’s not only in our country. Even in the United States, they have that debate all the time. Do we open the economy now or do we not open it now?” he said.
A few days back, the Nigerian news space was filled with reports on the rumoured death of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The group which calls for the Biafra nation and liberation of the Igbo’s from Nigeria as a sovereign entity immediately refuted the claim of Kanu’s death as vicious rumors and released a video of him to quell the reports.
However, Nigerian journalist, Dr. Kemi Olunloyo has insisted that Nnamdi Kanu is dead. In a series of tweets on her Twitter page, she not only reiterated his death, she also claims that Kanu’s wife, Uchechi Kanu, is upset with IPOB for hiding the death of her husband.
Kim Jong-Un, North Korea’s Supreme Leader is dead – according to multiple sources coming out of North Korea and the Far East, though due to the hyper-secretive nature of the pariah state the exact picture remains unclear tonight.
It was being reported as fact by media outlets in China and Japan that the 36-year-old dictator was dead. Other sources said he was on his death bed in a vegetative state with no hope of resuscitation after botched heart surgery. Because of the nature of the ultra secret regime in North Korea claims of Kim Jong-un’s death are very difficult to verify before an official state announcement.
But a Hong Kong-backed news channel’s vice director, who claims to be the niece of a Chinese foreign minister, made the announcement.
Vice director of HKSTV Hong Kong Satellite Television Shijian Xingzou says that a ‘very solid source’ has told her Kim Jong-un was dead.
Further sources were reporting a Chinese medical team had been sent to North Korean capital Pyongyang.
Hours ago a Japanese weekly called Shukan Gendai claimed the North Korea’s dictator was in a vegetative state after complications from heart surgery.
A Chinese doctor – who is believed to have been part of the team sent to treat Kim Jong-Un – was reported as saying a delay in a simple heart procedure had left the leader severely ill.
Further specific details were unknown.
Reports of Kim’s death sparked fears of major civil unrest in North Korea – believed to be a nuclear-armed state.
It comes after insiders claimed China has sent a team of doctors to North Korea to determine the status of Kim Jong-Un’s health.
The Chinese delegation left Beijing for North Korea on Thursday included doctors and CCP officials, according to three people familiar with the situation told Reuters.
The nature of China’s delegation was not announced and Beijing has so far refused to comment.
On Monday, speculation spread the North Korean leader was in ill health after undergoing heart surgery on April 12 after unconfirmed reports emerged – which were swiftly denied.
South Korean government officials and a Chinese official with the Liaison Department have challenged subsequent reports suggesting that Kim was in grave danger after surgery.
They said they had detected no signs of unusual activity in North Korea.
And on Thursday, US President Donald Trump also downplayed earlier reports that Kim was gravely ill.
He said: “I think the report was incorrect,” before declining to say if he had been in touch with North Korean officials.
On Friday, a South Korean source said their intelligence was that Kim was alive and would likely make an appearance soon.
The person said he did not have any comment on Kim’s current condition or any Chinese involvement.
These are indeed trying times for Nigerians of all classes, ethnic groups and religious persuasions. The coronavirus pandemic has levelled the walls that set our social classes apart. From the slums of Ajegunle to the GRAs in Ikoyi and Victoria Island, COVID-19 has shown little regard for privilege or sympathy for poverty. The pandemic has led to the death of 184,643 people worldwide.
As of Thursday April 22, 2020, 873 Nigerians have been infected, 197 recovered and 28, unfortunately, died. Many of the victims are ordinary people who usually fall victim at trying moments like this. But a lot of them have also been Very Important Personalities. Some of these VIPs include senior government officials, politicians, captains of industry, senior health workers etc.
We are talking of big guns like Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde; Bauchi State Gov Bala Mohammed; Kaduna State Gov Nasir el-Rufai; the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede; Provost of the University of Ibadan College of Medicine, Prof. Ezekiel Olapade-Olaopa; Davido’s fiancee; Chioma Rowland and more. So, this week, we will be taking a look at some high profile figures who have had to battle the virus, most of whom, however, lived to tell the story.
Governor Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna)
The latest VIP to join the growing list of celebrities who recovered from COVID-19 is the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, who shared the good news on Wednesday through his Twitter handler.
“I am delighted to report today, that after nearly four weeks of observing a strict medical regime, I have now received the all-clear after two consecutive negative test results.
“I thank Almighty Allah for His grace and mercy. I also acknowledge with gratitude the massive outpouring of sympathy, prayers and public support that followed the disclosure of the infection,” he said.
The governor added that his family, who went through the trauma of potentially losing a family member and being infected, had remained supportive.
“My family not only went through the trauma of potentially losing a member, but also the risk of being infected as well. The entire family has been supportive as usual, while my many friends and colleagues from all over the world have sent their prayers and best wishes.”
Gov Bala Mohammed (Bauchi)
The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed’s COVID-19 positive test result was announced Tuesday, March 24, 2020. It was learnt that the governor had returned to Bauchi from a trip to Lagos. On his return flight, the governor met with Mohammed Abubakar, the son of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s son. Abubakar, who later tested positive who also for the coronavirus met on the plane where both men shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.
However, the governor has since tested negative to the virus. Last week, Governor Mohammed relived the whole trauma, expressing regrets and guilt for the index case in the state.
Gov. Seyi Makinde (Oyo)
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on March 30, 2020. The governor proceeded for treatment immediately. He announced his recovery via his Twitter account on April 5, 2020. However, the governor soon came out of the trauma of self-isolation.
“This evening, I received my second negative test result for COVID-19. I especially thank Prof Temitope Alonge, who acted in my stead as Head of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force,” he said.
Jesse Otegbayo (Chief Medical Director, UCH)
Less than a week after he was tested positive for coronavirus, Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital (UCH), Prof. Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, tested negative on April 3, after undergoing isolation and another test.
Otegbayo had reportedly tested positive on Sunday, March 28, 2020. The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Toye Akinrinlola, in a statement on Thursday, April 2, stated that the sample taken on Tuesday, March 31, came out negative.
“I have the pleasure to announce that the repeat test of the UCH CMD, Prof.Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, has returned negative. He had earlier tested positive to the COVID- 19 virus last Friday.
“Otegbayo had on Sunday personally said in a statement that he tested positive for COVID- 19 and admonished all those who had contact with him to go on self-quarantine.
“However, his samples were taken again on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. Today, at about 3 p.m., the result came out negative.” Akinrinlola also disclosed that the results of the provost and deputy provost of the college of medicine, University of Ibadan, Ezekiel Olapade-Olaopa and Obafunke Denloye, were negative for COVID-19 after second tests.
Muhammad Babandede (CG Immigration)
Muhammed Babandede is the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service. According to him, he had been in self-isolating since his return from a trip to the United Kingdom on March 22.
Babandede tested positive for the deadly coronavirus days after he returned from a trip to the United Kingdom on March 22.
Babandede’s recovery was, however, announced by Nigeria Immigration Service’s spokesperson, Sunday James.
“The CGI, in an overwhelming appreciation, took cognisance of the prayers and supplications of everyone for him.
Most importantly, he expressed gratitude to “the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Permanent Secretary Ministry of Interior, Georgina Ekeoma Ehuriah; members of the international community who stood by the service during this trying times.“
“He prays for the recovery of others, and for God’s intervention for the world and Nigeria in this battle against Covid-19.”
Davido’s woman Chioma Rowland
Chioma Rowland, popularly called Chefchi, is the fiancee of the Omo Baba Olowo crooner, David Adeleke aka Davido.
In March, Davido shared that Chioma had tested positive after he and 31 members of his team got tested following trips abroad. She was the only person around her to test positive and went into self-isolation following the diagnoses.
Davido, however, shared the good news on Sunday, April 19, that his fiancee had tested negative twice, 23 days after she started battling the virus.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched a probe into Omoyele Sowore’s SaharaReporters for publishing the identity of COVID-19 patients.
The NITDA announced this move via its official Twitter page. See tweets below:
Earlier in the week, singer, Tiwa Savage, had an Instagram Live session, during which she sang and rubbed minds with her fans.
During the chat, the ‘Attention’ singer spoke on how the COVID-19 crisis had humbled her. She said, “This is a really weird time for everyone. Whether you are rich or famous; it affects everyone. It can be a little scary actually because one doesn’t know what would happen next. One doesn’t know what tomorrow brings. The coronavirus pandemic has humbled me because I had my album ready to be released. I had a lot of shows, festivals and tours lined up. All of that had to be cancelled and some postponed. We don’t know’’, when this will stop. This is despite all the plans one has already made. It definitely humbled all of us.”
The pretty mother of one also urged her fans to learn the necessary lessons from the pandemic. Savage noted that it was only God that could take the world out of the crisis. She added, “When this is over, I hope it teaches us to value the small things in life. I hope it teaches us to value spending time with family and saving; it is important to save. When we get back to our normal lives, I hope we don’t go back to what we were doing before. I hope this teaches us to value family, our mental state and being close to God. It’s only God that can take us out of this.”
After the conversation, Savage surprised her fans when she performed some popular Yoruba Christian hymns.
The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, has explained why the lockdown measure should not be relaxed amid efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), had on March 29 ordered a lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states for 14 days to curb COVID-19 spread. Many states had also followed suit.
But as the number of COVID-19 cases increased, the President on April 13 extended the lockdown for 14 more days.
As of the time of filing this report, the coronavirus had spread to 26 states and the FCT, with 1,095 cases recorded across the country by the NCDC. While 208 patients had been discharged, 32 had died.
The new cases were 80 in Lagos, 21 in Gombe, five in FCT, two each in Zamfara and Edo, and one each in Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna and Sokoto states.
Speaking on Friday at a media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said it was not yet time to relax the lockdown.
He noted that although the lockdown was having negative effects on the economy as it was impeding Nigerians’ ability to go about their daily activities, he said it was vital to be patient and endure the lockdown further to ensure a safe and healthy society when the economy would be reopened.
He said, “We will eventually exit this stage and restart our normal life but that stage is still a while to come and I ask for your endurance, support and patience. Lots of efforts are going on across the world to find new therapy, to find vaccine.
“Everybody is pushing hard along this direction. We need unprecedented level of caution to continue carrying out the preventive measure that we have advised many times on this platform.
“Many families have not been able to bury their dead, rescheduled their marriages and baptism and everything they are doing. In a way, life is in suspense. Everyone recognises the sacrifice Nigerians have made but we really have to encourage one another to continue to a position where we can relax some of that (lockdown) but until we get to that place, we have to continue in the short term.
“We are working hard to reach a point where we can relax some of these measures but we are not there yet. We ask you to join us to continue this journey with us and amplify these messages that we are giving. We are happy to have the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress here with us today (Friday).”
Ihekweazu added that the citizens must remember that the most vulnerable people were the elderly and people with other illnesses.
“We must protect them. In protecting them, if they are living in the village, leave them there and support them with whatever resources you have. But please, now is not the time to encourage travelling,” he added.
