Category Health

Coronavirus

By Ishaq Zaki

Gusau, April 2, 2020 (NAN) The Zamfara Government has inaugurated six sub-committees to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the less privileged as a result of the restriction of movement in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the six sub-committees are to function under the state government Task Force on Prevention and Control of Coronavirus Pandemic.

The task force is headed by Alhaji Nasiru Magarya, the Speaker, Zamfara House of Assembly.

The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Sulaiman Tunau, said, in a statement on Thursday in Gusau, that the committees included: Isolation Centres; Publicity and Community Mobilisation and Sensitisation.

Tunau said others were Sub-committees for Security; Logistics; Commodities Custody and Resource Mobilisation.

According to the commissioner, the sub-committees will soon distribute relief materials to vulnerable individuals in the state due to the restriction of movement to ease their sufferings.

The commissioner said that the committees had so far received donations of food items and cash from well meaning individuals in the state.

He added that the food items comprised 1,400 bags of assorted grains, 31,000 crates of eggs, as well as millions of naira, among others, presented to the task force by Gov. Bello Matawalle on Wednesday.

The commissioner said that members of the sub-committees were carefully selected based on their past records and urged them to live up to expectations.

He appealed to people of the state to cooperate with the state government and heed to health experts’ directives on how to contain Coronavirus pandemic in the state. (NAN)

IZ/JI/GOK
Edited by Joe Idika/Olagoke Olatoye

COVID-19

By Abujah Racheal

Abuja, April 2, 2020 (NAN) 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, said this to News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), 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.

“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. (NAN)

AIR/DCU 

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Edited by Donald Ugwu

Youths

By Augusta Uchediunor

Lagos, April 2, 2020 (NAN) The Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) on Thursday advised Nigerian youths to make good use of the COVID-19 lockdown period by engaging in self-development activities.

Its Youth Focal Point, Nigeria, Ms Bless-me Ajani, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Ajani also advised them that rather than engaging in unprotected and avoidable sexual activities, they should be responsible in their Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) habits and be positively occupied while inside their houses.

According to her, though, the social distancing policy, which is the only reasonable thing to do at this time, involved closing down of schools and other places, it is making many people to be idle.

“Consequently, adolescent girls and vulnerable women may end up in various compromising situations, hence, the need to deploy measures to avoid them.

“As young people, we should endeavour to make good use of this period by engaging in productive self-development activities such as reading a book, trying out new hobbies, digital skills or even documenting your social distancing experience.

“You will be amazed how your writing skill would have improved by the end of this period,’’ she said.

Ajani advised young people to endeavour  to practise abstinence at this time and where they could not, they should get handy condoms and emergency contraceptives.

“It is crucial that we all take responsibilities for our sexual needs during this time,” she said.

According to her, the reality is, this is not a good time to have unplanned pregnancies.

“Because the pressure of the pandemic on the health system will affect and disrupt routine SRH services including family planning, ante-natal services, post-abortion café services and immunisation services,” she said.

Ajani urged government agencies and parastatals to educate the public the implications of perpetrating sexual, domestic and gender-based violence during this time. (NAN)

ANU/VIV/GOK

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Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Olagoke Olatoye

Test

By Philip Dzeremo
Makurdi, April 2,2020(NAN) Gov Samuel Ortom of Benie, his Deputy, Mr Benson Abounu and the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Mr David Olofu on Thursday submitted voluntarily submitted themselves for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) test.

In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Terver Akase in Makurdi, they submitted their samples to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The statement quotes Ortom as saying “the decision to submit samples for the test was the right thing to do”.

The governor, therefore, appealed to all Benue citizens to submit to the test and not wait for symptoms to manifest before going for it.

According to Ortom, doing so will help to contain the spread of the deadly virus in the state.

Ortom said:”there is no was shame in seeking to know your Covid-19 status”.

He urged the people to cooperate with the COVID-19 Action Committee at the state and local government levels, while observing the preventive measures against the pandemic.(NAN)
PD/SH
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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Infections

By Abujah Racheal

Abuja, April 2, 2020 (NAN) Nigeria is likely to record more cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), infections, as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) progressively expands its testing capacity.

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General of NCDC, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while giving an update on COVID-19 in the country, on Thursday in Abuja.

Ihekweazu said the COVID-19 is a virus  that spreads rapidly from person to person and the NCDC measures must be very stringent.

He said that NCDC scaled up its capacity to conduct tests and produce results more quickly as Nigerians demanded.

He said that the NCDC has also expanded the criteria for who should be tested.

The NCDC DG said that the agency initially recommended that testing everyone with symptoms of fever, coughing and difficulty in breathing, but only if they had these symptoms as well as a history of traveling to an area where cases were endemic, or being in close contact with someone who was diagnosed as positive.

Ihekweazu noted that expanding the number of laboratories that could perform COVID-19 testing was critical to getting a more accurate sense of how widespread the virus may be in the country.

He noted that the incubation period for COVID19 was generally two-14 days, adding that NCDC was therefore using the window opportunity of the lockdown in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun States to promptly detect, isolate and effectively treat cases.

“Like any medical test, there has to be a clinical reason to perform the procedure.

“In the case of COVID-19, someone must have symptoms of the disease like fever, coughing and shortness of breath.

“Travel to an area with active transmission of COVID-19 is also a factor, as well as close contact with someone who is sick or had traveled.

“It’s advisable for doctors to test their patients for other respiratory illnesses before submitting a COVID-19 test.

“At present we do not recommend testing for those that do not have symptoms.

“It can take anywhere from two to 14 days for COVID-19 symptoms to develop and until they do the test won’t pick up signs of the disease.

“It is more about making sure that you identify whether someone that has exposure develops disease or not.

“Testing them early on in their incubation period doesn’t help settle that question.

“Even those who have been asked to quarantine often will not be tested until they have symptoms,” he explained.

He noted that the COVID-19 test, which involves a nose or a throat swab, could detect the disease but it cannot tell doctors how severe the case would become.

“We want Nigerians to keep in mind that we have the capacity to test but we want to make sure that those tests are used in the best way possible, at the state and national level we don’t have unlimited supplies.

“We want to focus on individuals who are in a high risk situation,” he noted.

The DG said that Nigerians should continue to think ahead about the actions that they could take to stay healthy and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in country.

He, however said that together, Nigerians could slow the spread of COVID-19 by making a conscious effort to keep a physical distance between each other.

“Physical social distancing is proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness during an outbreak.

“This means making changes in your everyday routines to minimize close contact with others, including avoiding crowded places and non-essential gatherings, avoiding common greetings, such as handshakes.

“Limiting contact with people at higher risk like older persons and those in poor health, keeping a distance of at least two arms-length approximately two metres from others,” he advised.

He again advised that COVID-19 is a serious health threat, and the situation was evolving daily.

“The risk would vary between and within communities, but given the increasing number of cases in the country, the risk to Nigerians was considered high.

“This does not mean that all Nigerians will get the disease. It means that there is already a significant impact on our health care system.

“If we do not flatten the epidemic curve now, the increase of COVID-19 cases could impact our health care system,” he advised. (NAN)

AIR/ESAN/SH

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Edited by Abiodun Esan/Sadiya Hamza 

Bed
By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal

Ilorin, April 2, 2020 (NAN) The Senior Adviser on Health matters to Kwara Governor, Prof. Wale Suleiman says the state government will increase capacity of the bed space at the Ilorin Isolation Centre from 20 to 60.

Speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Ilorin, Suleiman explained that the state government has been doing everything possible to ensure the state was not added to the list of Covid-19 in Nigeria.

According to him, the whole of the Sobi Specialist hospital, Ilorin, will become isolation centre, as sick people will be moved away from the hospital.

He added that there are medical personnel also on stand by in case of any occurrence.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the hospital personnel were busy turning the place into isolation centre gearing for the outbreak of the Covid-19 in the state.

A medical doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the Special Adviser has been paying a visit to the Sobi Speacialist Hospital to monitor the activities on ground.

He disclosed that out and in patients have been moved away from the Sobi Speacialist Hospital in preparation for any outbreak.

NAN also gathered that there is no one admitted in the hospital and no known cases of the virus in the state.

The surrounding host community is, however, tensed as few people, who spoke with NAN, expressed fears that the isolation centre is located close them.

One of the resident of the area, Mr Ibrahim Salako, who operates a bakery, expressed fear over the proximity of the isolation centre to them.

He noted that for some time the hospital has not been admitting people as they turn them away.

Salako appealed to the state government to safeguard health of the people living in the area and allay their fears over the citing of isolation centre at Sobi.

Also a food seller, Mrs Bunmi Ajibade, decried citing the isolation centre at Sobi expressing fears of an outbreak.

She said her house is not far away from the hospital and she and her neighbours are afraid of the dreaded virus.

However, the Special Adviser has assured people living in the area not to panic as government has taken adequate measures to safeguard their health. (NAN)
FATY/AFA
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Edited by Felix Ajide

By Habibu Harisu
Sokoto, April 2, 2020 (NAN) The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) says it is working closely with Sokoto State Ministry of Health on precautionary measures and awareness campaigns against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Correction Centres across the state.

Mr Bello Umar, the Public Relations Officer of NCS, Sokoto State Command disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

Umar said that the service had conducted sensitisation campaigns on precautionary measures against CONVID-19 in all the correctional centres in the state.

He quoted the Sokoto State Controller of NCS, Mr Sabo Sama-Tsafe as saying that the exercise was part of the organisation’s responsibilities to ensure maximum compliance with directives on inmates’ safety as well as abide by the national headquarters’ directives on containing the deadly COVID-19.

He said that emergency measures for prompt intervention had been worked out while Isolation Centres to quarantine any inmate suspected with COVID-19 had been provided.

“During the visits, the controller urged officers in charge to provide containers with  running water and soap at various locations for regular hand washing for both staff and inmates.

“Staff and inmates were sensitised to maintain social distance, restrict public gatherings, use face masks, hand gloves, and sanitisers ” Umar said. (NAN)
HMH/VIV/YEE
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Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Emmanuel Yashim

Covid-19: Registrar calls for 21 days nationwide lockdown

Lockdown

 By Dorcas Jonah

Abuja, April 2, 2020 (NAN) Mr Segun Ogunyannwo, Registrar, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC), has called on the Federal Government to impose 21 days nationwide lockdown to ensure proper tracking and treatment of persons with COVID-19.

Ogunyannwo, also the Chief Executive Officer of ICMC, made the call on Thursday in Abuja while presenting face masks to the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), FCT Council.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the 14-day lockdown of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun adding that this was not enough to fight the dreaded coronavirus.

According to him, the best thing to do is to have a nationwide lockdown for 21 days.

”This will enable us  to tract those who have been infected and provide them with the attention that they need.

”If they will infect others within the period, it will be limited to their immediate family members. 

”If we allow the virus to spread in the other 34 states, by the end of the 14-days lockdown period in Lagos, Ogun and the FCT, the situation will be worse than when we started.

 ”This is the truth Mr President, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

“It is known that the gestation period of COVID-19 is 14 days. It is possible that a family member can be infected within the first two or three days of the lockdown.

”With the cycle of 14 days completing in two or three days afterwards, if we adopt 14 days only, we may be going back to square one. It is safer to have 21-days nationwide lockdown,” he said.

Ogunyannwo also called on the Federal Government to provide sustenance for the jobless and daily paid workers across the country within the Nationwide lockdown period. 

He urged the Federal Government to activate the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) to respond to this immediately to avoid another type of calamity. 

Ogunyannwo said that SEMAs could liaise with Local Governments to deliver on the welfare package to this category of people.

He said that the role of well-meaning individuals and organisations would also be needed to augment what the government would be doing.

Responding on behalf of the NUJ FCT council, the Secretary of council, Comrade Ochiaka Ugwu, pledged its members commitment to curb the COVID-19 through proper reporting.(NAN)

DE/DCU 

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Edited by Donald Ugwu