14 new cases of covid-19 have been confirmed in Nigeria, 1 in FCT, 1 in Bauchi and 12 in Lagos.
From the 14 confirmed cases , 6 were detected on a vessel, 3 are returning travellers into the country while 2 are close contacts of confirmed cases.
Currently:
Lagos- 32
FCT- 10
Ogun- 3
Ekiti- 1
Oyo- 1
Edo- 1
Bauchi-1
Osun-1
Rivers-1
@NCDCgov
Our family is deeply saddened to inform you of the sudden death of our beloved Father, Uncle, Brother, and friend, Engineer Suleiman Achimugu.
The former Managing Director of Pipelines and Product Marketing Company of Nigeria, PPMC) died of COVID-19 on 22/03/2020 some days after he arrived in Nigeria from the United Kingdom.
He was in self-isolation upon his return from the UK and personally called the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, after experiencing some discomfort that are related to COVID-19 symptoms.
He tested positive and was promptly evacuated to the specialist hospital and died while receiving treatment.
We implore the general public to pray upon his soul and the recovery of infected persons.
Your thoughts and prayers would be appreciated.
Please maintain the public social distancing and restriction advice as we all walk through this very difficult time.
He has since been buried according to Islamic rites.
May Allah SWA have mercy on him.
Ameen
Abubakar Achimugu for the family
The Federal Ministry of Health has announced five new cases of Coronavirus bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to eight.
All the five new cases had a travel history to the United Kingdom and the United States.
The development is alarming as it comes on the heels of the confirmation of the third Coronavirus case in Nigeria on Tuesday, which spurred the Federal Government from its slumber as it rolled out a number of measures to stop the spread of the disease in the country.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, at a press conference in Ikeja on Tuesday morning, said the third case was a 30-year-old woman, who returned to the country on Friday from the United Kingdom.
The announcement of the third Coronavirus case triggered a flurry of activities by the Federal Government which included the postponement of the 20th edition of the National Sports Festival, tagged ‘Edo 2020’, scheduled to start on Friday.
The National Open University of Nigeria also put off its 9th convocation, which was slated from March 21 indefinitely.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on its part, issued health advisory to religious organizations and other groups that could attract mass gatherings.
NCDC said they should not allow people who had cough, fever or other Coronavirus-like symptoms into their mass gatherings.
In the United Kingdom, the Nigerian High Commission suspended the processing of passports until further notice as a proactive measure to curb Coronavirus.
Similarly, the Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated a task force on Coronavirus, whose members were named on March 9.
Nigeria recorded its first coronavirus case on February 27 when an Italian businessman, who was on a visit to Lafarge Africa Plc, Ewekoro, Ogun State, was diagnosed with the disease. The Italian is currently receiving treatment in Lagos.
A few days later, a Nigerian, who had contact with him and was isolated in Ogun State, was diagnosed with the disease.
Culled from Punch
The Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Oyo State, Dr Akin Sodipo has urged members of the public to remain calm but maintain basic personal hygiene practices as the first case of COVID 19 also known as Coronavirus is recorded.
The case was of an Italian citizen who was in Nigeria for a brief business visit but fell ill and was taken to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing.
Dr Sodipo in an Interview with Radio Nigeria advised people to wash their hands with soap and water, use alcohol-based sanitizer, and avoid crowded places while people coughing or sneezing should stay indoors until they are better.
He urged medical practitioners and other health workers to be vigilant at this point and adopt safety measures such as wearing of face masks and gloves and prompt isolation of patients with symptoms of the disease to prevent spread.
Dr Sodipo assured residents that no case of COVID 19 has been confirmed in Oyo state but that the government was intensifying efforts to contain any outbreak of the virus.
Globally, more than eighty thousand people in about fifty countries have been infected while up to two thousand eight hundred have died.
Many countries are taking actions to prevent spread.
For instance, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Iraq have ordered schools closed while Saudi Arabia has halted travel to Mecca and Medina for this year’s Humrah.
Back home in Nigeria, a multi-sectoral Coronavirus preparedness group led by Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, has activated its operations centre which will work closely with Lagos State health authorities to respond quickly to any case.
Anthonia Akanji
The outbreak of Lassa fever has hit Ondo State.
So far, eighty-four cases have been recorded in the New Year.
While sixteen of the patients have died, forty-seven others were currently on admission and responding to treatment.
The State Epidemiologist, Dr. Steven Fagbemi, confirmed this during a meeting with Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and Local Government Chairmen from Ondo North and Central Senatorial District at the Governor’s Office in Akure.
According to Dr. Fagbemi twenty-one persons had already been treated and discharged.
Also speaking, the leader of the National Center for Disease Control, NCDC, Dr. Yahaya Disu, explained that the Lassa fever cases were recorded in Owo, Akoko South West, Akure South, and Ondo West Local Government Areas.
Corroborating, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro who advised Nigerians to visit hospitals when they notice fever symptoms, said the state government had mapped out strategies to contain the spread of the disease.
Earlier, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had advised local government chairmen in the state to deploy cleaners to markets and public places while the residents should maintain high level of hygiene to curtail the spread of the Lassa virus in the state.
Olorunferanmi Odofin
