Wednesday, May 6, 2020

No more business with anyone outside Bauchi state, Gov Bala Mohammed tells residents

   
Governor Mohammed Bala has asked residents of Bauchi state to stop conducting business with people outside  the state, as a precautionary measure against the spread of Coronavirus. The Bauchi state Governor gave the directive during a meeting with caretaker committee chairmen of the twenty local government areas at the state capital.

    Governor Bala also asked the caretaker committee chairmen to ensure total compliance, block borders around their domains, sensitise people at the grassroot to desist from any form of activities with anyone outside the state and also to produce face masks for onward distribution to their people to curb the spread of Coronavirus. 

    In a statement released by special assistant on new media to the Governor, Lawal Muazu Bauchi, it was gathered that the decision was taken to stop importation of Coronavirus into the state. 

 

Governor Bala said; 

 “Henceforth, no trade, visit or any social activity with anybody outside Bauchi state should be conducted. As chairmen of LGAs, you must work to ensure compliance with this order. 

“These committees must work to protect citizens from the prevalence of this dangerous virus; our cases in Bauchi have risen to 80 fresh, not even from the index cases, but from the people who are coming to our state.

“I sympathise with the government and people of Kano State because of the number of people in the state who have died recently. We must work together to prevent ourselves from this pandemic.”

 

150 travellers and Almajiri children intercepted in Kaduna by security operatives

 

   Security operatives on Wednesday May 6, intercepted about 150 travellers including Almajiri children travelling in three vehicles along the Abuja-Kaduna road. The Commissioner for Human Resources and Social Development in the state, Hafsat Baba disclosed that the travellers were trying to enter the state from the Federal Capital Territory, (Abuja) and Nyanya in Nasarawa State.
   
   She told Channels TV that other almajiris were also intercepted in Soba and Giwa Local Government Areas of the state. Out of the 150 intercepted travellers, 90 are from Kano State, while the others are from Nasarawa and Birinin Gwari Local Government in Kaduna.

    All the non-indigenous Almajiris and other travellers have been returned to their states, while those from Kaduna have been quarantined for a period of 14 days.

Russia's Minister of Culture, Olga Lyubimova tests positive for Coronavirus

  
 
 Russia's Minister of Culture, Olga Lyubimova has tested positive for Coronavirus just after the country's Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Construction Minister Vladimir Yakushev were hospitalised with the virus.

     Lyubimova's spokesperson, Anna Usacheva said on Wednesday May 6, that she has mild symptoms and is now working from home after being diagnosed with the disease. The statement reads in part; 

“The head of the Ministry of Culture, Olga Lyubimova, is working from home. She has tested positive for COVID.

“The minister is at home, she holds working meetings in the format of video conferences, she takes parts in online meetings and negotiations.

“She has mild symptoms. Hospitalisation is out of the question."

     Ms Lyubimova, a former journalist and documentary filmmaker, was appointed in January and is one of the youngest in the Cabinet at 39.

 

Two covid-19 patients abscond from Oyo isolation centre

   

   Two COVID-19 patients out of the 33 active cases being managed in isolation centre in Oyo state have absconded. Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state tweeted this on Wednesday’s afternoon while giving situation update of the pandemic in the state.

   According to Makinde, the patients possibly may have absconded to their permanent places of residence. The governor, who chairs the State COVID-19 TaskForce, said that the two escapees were among the 33 active cases being managed by the state, saying the development has brought the number of active cases in Oyo state to 31.

Professor reseaching covid-19 found shot dead at home

  
   v A University of Pittsburgh professor on the verge of making "very significant findings" researching Covid-19, according to the university, was shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide over the weekend, police said.

  The research assistant professor, identified as Bing Liu, was found in his townhouse Saturday with gunshot wounds to the head, neck, torso and extremities, according to the Ross Police Department. Investigators believe an unidentified second man, who was found dead in his car, shot and killed Liu in his home before returning to his car and taking his own life.

Police believe the men knew each other, but say there is "zero indication that there was targeting due to his (Liu) being Chinese," according to Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp. 

The university issued a statement saying it is "deeply saddened by the tragic death of Bing Liu, a prolific researcher and admired colleague at Pitt. The University extends our deepest sympathies to Liu's family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time."

"Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications," his colleagues at the university's Department of Computational and Systems Biology said in a statement.

Members of the university's School of Medicine describe their former colleague as an outstanding researcher and mentor, and have pledged to complete Liu's research "in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence."


COVID-19: Three More Patients Treated And Discharged In Ondo

 
 
   Three more COVID-19 patients have tested negative to the virus after treatment, and have been discharged from hospital in Ondo State. The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo disclosed this in a press statement issued in Akure, the State capital.

The statement partly reads:
“We are delighted to inform the good people of Ondo Statevvvv that three more Corona virus patients have been discharged. This brings to six, the number of patients treated and certified okay to join their families.” Ojogo gives further details about the three patients just discharged as follows:

   “Those discharged today are: the first Police officer who earlier tested positive in Lagos but came to Akure out of panic,  the woman from Owo, the lady who had arrived Akure from Abuja but was prevented from gaining access to her apartment by her vigilant landlord.” Mr Ojogo further disclosed that seven of the thirteen confirmed cases in Ondo State are still on admission at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Akure and under strict protocols.

    The Commissioner noted that with most of the COVID-19 positive cases being imported from other states, the Ondo state government is intensifying efforts to ensure all it’s land borders remain closed and adequately monitored by security agents. He also stated that the restriction of movement in the state between 7:00 pm and 7:00 as directed by government is still in operation.

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Chartered Plane Conveying Nigerians To Lagos From Dubai arrive 7pmv

   A chartered plane conveying Nigerian returnees from the United Arab Emirates has made a U-turn after a pregnant woman reportedly went into labour.

   The Chairman of the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa confirmed this to Channels TV. The plane, which was scheduled to arrive at 3 pm is now expected to land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 7 pm.

  After weeks of delay, the first batch of Nigerians stuck abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic were expected in the country today. The Emirates flight is expected to be the first of at least two other flights scheduled to evacuate Nigerians within the next few days.

  According to the foreign ministry, discussions are ongoing with British Airways to airlift 300 Nigerians from London on Friday; arrangements are also being made with Ethiopian airlines for a flight from New York to Abuja next Monday. Over 4,000 Nigerians are waiting to be evacuated across the world back home, foreign affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama said on Monday.

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