Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Senegal to re-open mosques and churches ease restrictions

 

   Senegalese President Macky Sall announced the re-opening of mosques and churches and the easing of other restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus, even as the largest one-day jump in cases was recorded on Monday.

   Sall ordered places of worship closed in March and imposed a dawn-to-dusk curfew. Since then, the daily pace of new cases has picked up, 177 on Monday from a previous high of 104, with increasing community transmission in hotspots such as the holy city of Touba. Senegal has recorded 1,886 coronavirus cases in total, including 19 deaths.

EFCC secures forfeiture of $300,000 belonging to a Chinese

 
    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the final forfeiture of $300,000, belonging to a Chinese, Li Yan Pin, to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The forfeiture order was granted by Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

   But the judge spared him a jail term because he allegedly had symptoms of COVID-19. A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale said the Chinese was tried for money laundering.

   The statement said: “The judge had earlier ordered the interim forfeiture of the money following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

“Yan Pin stood trial for a money laundering charge, leveled against him by the EFCC over the said sum after intelligence led to his arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for failing to declare the sum in his possession, as he attempted to board a flight to China en-route Dubai.

 THE NATION


 
 

Nigeria Reports 242 New COVID-19 Cases, Total Infections Now 4,641

 

Nigeria has recorded 242 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing its total infections to 4,641. In a tweet late Monday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 88 new cases in Lagos, 64 in Kano, 49 in Katsina and 13 in Kaduna.

According to the health agency, Ogun state had nine cases, Gombe six, Adamawa four, and the FCT three.

Six other states – Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Zamfara, Borno, and Bauchi – reported one case each.

242 new cases of #COVID19;

88-Lagos
64-Kano
49-Katsina
13-Kaduna
9-Ogun
6-Gombe
4-Adamawa
3-FCT
1-Ondo
1-Oyo
1–Rivers
1-Zamfara
1-Borno
1-Bauchi

4641 cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria
Discharged: 902

Catholic Bishops Donate Over 400 Hospitals To Be Used As Isolation Centres In Nigeria


   The Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has offered over 400 health facilities across the nation to now be used as COVID-19 isolation centres.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha disclosed this at the presidential task force briefing on Monday.

He disclosed that the facilities can now be used by the government to tackle the issue of no bed spaces currently been experienced in various isolation centres across the country.

Mr Mustapha who doubles as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, had told newsmen in Abuja on Friday that the isolation and treatment centres in the country are running out of bed spaces. The SGF, however, noted that efforts are being intensified to increase the number of treatment centres in the country.

“We have received reports from the states, which suggests that the treatment centres are running out of bed spaces. As we assess the situation, the PTF shall also begin to examine our peculiar circumstances, modify the strategies for care management, and consider viable alternatives, where necessary. At the appropriate time, the guidelines and protocols shall be unfolded,” he said.

The PTF Chairman also on Monday noted that during the first week of the lockdown relaxation, the nation had experienced a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases due to increased testing.

He called on states to set up isolation centres to accommodate level one and two of isolation, noting that the PTF will introduce an inclusive policy in the coming weeks.

Mr Mustapha who stressed that President Muhammadu Buhari took a painful decision to ease the lockdown, urged individuals not to misuse the opportunity by returning to their  Pre-COVID-19 ways of life.

Channels

Monday, May 11, 2020

United States planning to accuse China of trying to hack vaccine data

 

  The F.B.I. and the Department of Homeland Security are reportedly preparing to issue an accusation that China’s most skilled hackers and spies are working to steal vaccine and treatment research from America to develop vaccines and treatments for the Coronavirus.

   A draft of the forthcoming public warning, which officials say is likely to be issued in the days to come, says China is seeking “valuable intellectual property and public health data through illicit means related to vaccines, treatments and testing,” New York Times reports.