Twenty new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria; 13 in Lagos, 4 in FCT, 2 in Kaduna and 1 in Oyo State

As at 09:00 pm 30th March there are 131 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria with 2 deaths.

Twenty new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria; 13 in Lagos, 4 in FCT, 2 in Kaduna and 1 in Oyo State

As at 09:00 pm 30th March there are 131 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria with 2 deaths pic.twitter.com/qXWEsSWG4y

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 30, 2020

As at 09:00 pm 30th March, there are

131 confirmed cases
2 deaths

For a breakdown of cases by states in real time, please see http://covid19.ncdc.gov.ng

Currently;
Lagos- 81
FCT- 25
Ogun- 3
Enugu- 2
Ekiti- 1
Oyo- 8
Edo- 2
Bauchi- 2
Osun-2
Rivers-1
Benue- 1
Kaduna- 3

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has postponed total lockdown of the state over raging coronavirus to Friday.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Sunday announced total lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and FCT over coronavirus.

But Abiodun, who disclosed this on Monday in a broadcast said he consulted with Buhari on the need to extend the lockdown directive in the overall interest of the people of the state.

According to him, the president graciously agreed to the request, and therefore urged the people of the state to remain calm and stock up food items ahead of time.

The governor said the state had procured 20 ventilators for use at the isolation centres.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has tested positive for the deadly Coronavirus.

The governor disclosed this on his twitter handle on Monday evening, saying that he just received his coronavirus test result and that it was positive.

He said he was still asymptomatic and would continue to self-isolate.

“I just received my COVID-19 confirmation test result. It is POSITIVE. I am asymptomatic and will continue to self-isolate,” he tweeted.

I just received my COVID-19 confirmation test result. It is POSITIVE. I am asymptomatic and will continue to self-isolate. pic.twitter.com/SX6UAYBb0S

— Seyi Makinde (@seyiamakinde) March 30, 2020

Makinde said he had designated Prof. Temitope Alonge, former Chief Medical Director of the University College, Ibadan, as the Head of COVID-19 Task Force while he recovered fully.

“I have designated Prof Temitope Alonge, former Chief Medical Director of the University College, Ibadan, as the Head of COVID-19 Task Force while I recover fully.

“Please continue to comply with all the directives from the COVID-19 Task Force. Stay home, stay safe,” he added.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered the manufacture of Chloroquine for an emergency stock and clinical trial for the treatment of coronavirus(COVID-19).

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known in a statement on Monday.

According to her, “In a very recent publication, chloroquine was reported in a press briefing by the State Council of China, indicating that chloroquine phosphate had demonstrated marked efficacy and acceptable safety in treating COVID-19 associated pneumonia in multi-center clinical trials conducted in China.

“The study involved 10 hospitals in Wuhan, Jingzhou, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Ningbo, and 100 patients. The investigators reported that chloroquine phosphate is superior to the control in inhibiting pneumonia associated with COVID-19, and shortening the course of the disease.

“Chloroquine was discontinued in Nigeria many years ago for use as antimalarial because of the resistance that the parasite developed against the drug. Therefore, sourcing the raw material – active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) – chloroquine phosphate could be difficult.

“About four weeks ago, I approached a local manufacturing company (May and Baker), a member of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN), whose flagship product in the past was chloroquine to make a batch of the drug for emergency stock. The company had NAFDAC approval for the production of the drug as antimalarial many years ago before the discontinuation.

“The Managing Director expressed possible difficulty in getting the API due to the fact that the drug has been discontinued. He called shortly after that he was able to get the API and was asked to manufacture a batch for emergency stock just in case more people become exposed and infected with the virus. The batch has been manufactured and the company plans to make more batches if needed”.

“As stated in my press briefing on March 20, 2020, NAFDAC is giving expedited provisional approvals for the manufacture of any commodities for preventing contracting the disease (sanitizers) and drug or medical device that could be used for the clinical trial testing and treatment of COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Agency had reduced the 120 working days for approval to 10 days due to the crisis. The products should have been previously reported for clinical trial treatments in reputable scientific journals or technical literature as safe and effective.

“Other researchers in France, the US have used the drug for clinical trial treatment of COVID-19 and they reported effectiveness of the drug. Lagos State will be starting a clinical trial on chloroquine to evaluate the effectiveness.

“Chloroquine works by increasing endosomal pH from the acidic environment required for virus/cell fusion, resulting in the inhibition of infection of SARS-CoV.

“It also interferes with the glycosylation of cellular receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. This may inhibit the virus-receptor binding and terminate the infection. The antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects of chloroquine contribute to the efficacy in treating COVID-19 patients”.

NAFDAC, therefore, advises the public to desist from the use of chloroquine without the guidance of a medical doctor or clinician for cases of clinical trial treatment of COVID-19.

The agency noted that it has side effects such as gastrointestinal upset, blurred vision, headache, and pruritis (itching).

The itching can be relieved by using antihistamine.

Prolonged use can also cause retinopathy or vision impairment.

The deadly Coronavirus disease has claimed a second life in Nigeria, the nation’s Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire disclosed on Monday.

The minister announced this while briefing newsmen in Abuja.

Ehanire stated that the fatality was recorded during the weekend.

He said, “As of today, the 30th of March, 2020, we have recorded 111 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria. Of which 68 are in Lagos, 21 in the FCT, seven in Oyo, three in Ogun, two in Bauchi, two in Edo, two in Osun, two in Enugu, and one each in Benue, Ekiti, Kaduna and Rivers States.

“The majority of them are persons who came from overseas and the others have been traced as close contacts of such returnees.

“Till date, three persons have been discharged after successful treatment. But sadly, another fatality was recorded over the weekend in the person of a patient who had severe underlying illnesses.

“We have intensified contact tracing and our strategy remains to promptly detect cases, isolate them, and follow up with their contacts and also isolate and treat, in order to reduce the spread of the infection.”

The Mike Adenuga Foundation (MAF), established by business mogul, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., has donated the sum of N1.5 billion to support Nigeria’s fight against the global Coronavirus pandemi.

Giving the breakdown of the N1.5 billion donation, the Foundation said that “N1billion will go to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which is coordinating efforts to raise funds from corporate bodies to support the initiatives aimed at combating the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, while the Lagos State Government which has recorded the majority of the cases will get N500 million”.

The cheque was presented by Globacom’s Executive Vice Chairman, Mrs Bella Disu to the Lagos State Governor on Monday.

“We are fully aware that our nation is indeed passing through very challenging times, with unprecedented impact on how we live, survive, stay in touch with each other and conduct our businesses. We feel the pulse of our people, appreciate the pains of those who are sick or have lost loved ones and the anxiety of all of us compelled to live under the shadow of this dreaded pandemic”, the Foundation said.

MAF noted that the core values that connect people firmly with one another – love for family, community and enterprise – were the most threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and stressed that Dr Adenuga and his Foundation remained committed to the protection and promotion of those values, and appealed to Nigerians not to allow the pandemic to affect those values adversely.

In addition to this contribution, MAF shall actively continue its on-going efforts to assist various bodies and institutions in the country with the supply of such essential items as Sanitizers, Masks, Test Kits, Personal Prospective Equipment (PPEs), Respirators and other necessary requirements to combat the pandemic.

The Lagos State Government on Monday said five Coronavirus patients at the Infectious Disease Centre, Yaba Mainland Hospital have been discharged.

This brings to eight the total number of discharged patients from the Centre.

The patients who had been quarantined at the isolation centre for weeks looked stable and unruffled.

Although, the discharged patients preferred anonymity, they expressed joy and satisfaction over the treatments they received.

While thanking the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his support and proactiveness, they pleaded that the workers at the Centre should be given life insurance.

According to one of the patients, who craved annonymity, “I came in here on the 15th and after the test showed positive, I was asked to come back the next day. So I was admitted here.

“Initially, there were hitches but it later turned out fine. The health workers did fine, all our challenges were attended to. I’m a living witness together with my other colleagues.”

He said people should not panic as there was hope that the virus could be defeated.

“We can beat it, I want to assure others that this is not their resting place. Encourage yourselves, take your medications and in no distant time, you will get out of here.

“I want to appeal to the Federal Government and Lagos State Government that, they should remunerate all those workers who have volunteered to work accordingly, so as to serve as encouragement to others,” he said.

The discharged patients stated that if the responders were not there to assist, many would have died.

Also speaking, another discharged patient, who craved anonymity said he was admitted last Sunday and that initially, there were challenges, but noted that the following day, they brought bed, mask and some equipment.

“Apart from what my colleague said, the workers should be insured. Proper insurance will let people do what they have to do,” he said.

The discharged patients recounted a situation where workers could not attend to him because he tested positive, saying “they went back and I slept off, I woke up around 3 a.m. So they deserve life insurance to encourage them to do their job.”

The Defence Headquarters says troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) have eliminated another top Boko Haram commander, Abu Usamah in an encounter on March 22 at Gorgi in Borno.

Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Benard Onyeuko disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Onyeuko said that the military communication confirmed by accurate intelligence that Abu Usamah was among Boko Haram insurgents killed during the encounter.

He explained that Usamah had earlier sustained fatal gunshot wounds in the firefight that ensued during the encounter before his foot soldiers hurriedly evacuated him and withdrew.

“Nevertheless, Abu Usamah died in the process.

“His death has no doubt created a consequential vacuum in the Boko Haram leadership particularly as the gallant troops remain resilient and continue to rout the criminal elements from their last enclaves in the North East.

“It would be recalled that on March 22, troops of OPLD, while conducting a special clearance operation in a subsidiary Operation called Operation AYISO TAMONUMA, decimated some key Boko Haram elements in an encounter at Gorgi in Damboa Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno.

“In our earlier Briefing, we reported over 100 Boko Haram insurgents neutralised while scores of them escaped with gunshot wounds.

“This was in addition to equipment casualty suffered by Boko Haram insurgents,” he said.

Onyeuko further disclosed that troops of 159 Task Force Battalion on March 27, neutralized scores of the Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents who attempted to infiltrate their location at Forward Operating Base Kanama, Yunusari LGA of Yobe.

He said the terrorists were severely decimated by the gallant ground troops supported by the Air Component of OPLD.
“They withdrew in disarray under superior firepower and were subsequently crushed by own troops.

“Furthermore, during the encounter, several terrorists were neutralised while one Gun Truck and various arms and ammunition were captured by the troops.

“These include; one DSHK Gun, two AK 47 Rifles and magazines, one Rocket Propelled Grenade bomb, 273 rounds of Anti-Aircraft Gun ammunition, 101 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 15 Jerri cans of Premium Motor Spirit and a Boko Haram Terrorists flag.

“Meanwhile, the Military High Command has congratulated the gallant troops for their resilience, courage, and dedication to the noble cause of defending our fatherland against the criminal elements. They were equally enjoined to continue to be steadfast and relentless against the enemies of our nation,” he added.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has set-up a special investigation team to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the explosion that occurred at Ogbese near Akure, the Ondo State capital early on Saturday 28 March.

The probe comes after an investigating team of geo-physicists from Obafemi Awolowo University debunked the police explanation for the blast.

Contrary to the police explanation that the explosion was caused by a dynamite-loaded truck which exploded, the Ife team said the explosion came from a falling meteorite from an asteroid belt.

The team led by Professor Adekunle Abraham Adepelumi said:

“The field evidence point to a conclusion that a meteoric from an asteroid belt that travels at a great speed from space impacted the location at an angle of 43 degrees created an ejecta at South-Western part. No evidence of buried vehicle, buried ordinance or IED was found”,

According to the Force Headquarters spokesman, Frank Mba, the new probe is headed by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CP Maikudi A. Shehu.

Members include police officers from the Police Bomb Disposal Squad (Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit).

The specialised arm of the Police oversees explosives and ordinance operations of the Force including controlled detonation, safe evacuation, sweeping, assessment, analysis, intelligence and investigations touching on bombs and all forms of explosives related incidents.

Mba said the investigation team will work jointly with experts from the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) – the nation’s leading Research and Development Institution that is the sole repository of all geo-scientific data.

The Agency has a state-of-the-art laboratory with the capacity and expertise to carry out a wide range of geo-scientific examinations including Laboratory/Forensic Examinations, Geochemical Analysis of Rocks, Minerals, Water, Sewage, Soil Samples and Site Investigations amongst others. The IGP hopes that with the involvement of NGSA, the quality and integrity of investigations into the explosion will be greatly enhanced.

The ‎President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has pledged to establish a 600-bed isolation centre in Kano State.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje announced the philanthropist’s gesture on Sunday at the inauguration of a 37-member fundraising committee set up to provide succour to the vulnerable in the state.

He said the isolation centre would be established at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar-Mata in Kano metropolis particularly for the downtrodden coronavirus-infected persons in the state.

The governor noted that the isolation facility to be established at the stadium would complement the already earmarked two isolation centres by the government in the state.

”There are people who are economically weak and must be affected during this trying time. That is why we decided to form a committee to raise money to help them cushion the effects,” he said.

Ganduje also disclosed that the state government had put everything in place, in terms of prevention and cure, to ensure that the disease “do not ravage the state.”

‎The governor also appealed to retired health workers to volunteer to partake in the effort to fight coronavirus pandemic in the state.

‎He urged those interested to register with the state Ministry of Health.‎