The world has continued to count the cost of the rampaging Coronavirus with former President Olusegun Obasanjo narrating how the virus outbreak almost spoilt the fun of his 83rd birthday, write ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE, KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR, KOLADE ADEYEMI, FAITH YAHAYA
Multi-lateral agencies and nations across the world as well as eminent personalities, states and agencies of government in Nigeria continue to speak against the dangers of the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Thursday.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who clocks 83 on Thursday had disclosed that the virus forced him to make adjustment to an elaborate programme earlier planned to mark the day.
Speaking at a symposium organised to celebrate his birthday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the former Nigerian leader said the birthday ceremony was originally scheduled to hold between Tuesday and Friday, adding that the programmes for Tuesday and Wednesday were put off, because some of the participants could not attend because of the coronavirus.
Emergency lines in Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government has provided emergency telephone lines for members of the public to report any suspected case of COVID-19 in the state.
Ahmed Yahaya, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Health disclosed this in a joint news conference with, Dogo Shammah, Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism after a stakeholders meeting in Lafia on Thursday.
The Commissioner explained that they have dedicated Six phone numbers for the public or medical facilities to report any suspected case of COVID-19 to the response team for prompt action.
The numbers are: 08036018579, 08035871718, 08033254549, 08036201904, 08032910826, and 08121243191. The Commissioner stressed that the government had put proactive measures in place to ensure that the authorities were not taken unawares in case of any suspected case.
Isolation centre in ABUTH, Zaria
The Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital Zaria (ABUTH), says it has established an Isolation Centre for the management of coronavirus following confirmation of a single case of the disease in the country.
Chief Medical Director (CMD) Prof. Hamidu Umdagas commended Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Kaduna state Government for their support to the hospital, adding that the hospital received kits and other equipment from NCDC for a better response against Lassa fever and other epidemics.
Kano partners NYSC
The Kano State Hospitals Management Board says it will partner the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to curb the spread of the current emerging disease, the coronavirus, in the state as the orientation camp for 2020 Batch A is set to open.
The Director General of the Board, Dr. Nasiru Alhassan Kano, who received the state NYSC Coordinator in his office, said the partnership is to engage on preventive measures on the spread on COVID-19.
Dr. Kabo noted that the Hospitals Management Board, being an institution saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the health status of secondary and tertiary health facilities across the state, it is apt to synergize with the NYSC Directorate in that aspect.
The Director General drew their attention that they have to envisage health challenges in such a community where hundreds of people will be put together at a point of time during the orientation exercise and adopt critical measures to hold back any form of escalation of the fatal disease the world is battling with.
Zamfara partners traditional rulers
The Zamfara health ministry is collaborating with traditional leaders to sensitise people against Coronavirus and Lassa fever diseases, according to the Commissioner of Health, Alhaji Yahaya Kanoma.
The measure, according to the Commissioner, was to guide the populace against situations that could breed the diseases.
“We are working with the 17 emirates of the state to sesnsitise District and Wards Heads across the state
“We have directed directors of health in the 14 local government areas of the state to collaborate with traditional rulers in their areas to sensitise their domains on proactive measures against the diseases,” he said.
Ogun targets Churches
The Ogun State Government has called on leadership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to join government in enlightening its members.
The sensitisation is geared toward increasing public awareness on the preventive measures against the further spread of the virus.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, made the call on Thursday while addressing the Senior Pastors of RCCG at the Redemption Camp Kilometre 45, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Coker said the global emergency posed by Covid-19 informed the need to sensitise religious leaders who would then take the message to their various communities.
Lagos takes hand wash campaign to markets
Wife of the Lagos State Governor and chairman of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, urged residents to imbibe the habit of regular hand washing with soap and water as well as taking lots of fruits to build immunity against CoronaVirus.
She spoke at a Special Sanitation visitation of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) to Tejuosho Ultra-Modern Market in Yaba.
The COWLSO chairman said it was important for people to adequately fortify themselves to be on a sound footing to ward off any threat of disease.
According to her, market sanitation was a critical factor in protecting the health of residents, adding that the government would do everything possible to ensure hygiene in markets across the state in line with the Health and Environment component of the THEMES Agenda of the present administration.
NCAA issues fresh directives
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered all airlines operating international and regional flights into Nigeria to issue Health Declaration Forms to their passengers before arriving Nigerian airports.
NCAA’s General Manager Public Relations, Mr Samuel Adurogboye, in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, said the airlines should also ensure that their crew members filled the form. He said the warning was coming on the heels of failure of some airlines operating international and regional flights into Nigeria to provide Health Declaration Forms.
Ethiopia continues flights to China
Despite WHO warnings, Ethiopia, one of Africa’s largest air traffic hubs, continued regular flights to China.
Ethiopian Airlines said it operates 35 flights a week to the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, as well as to Hong Kong.
Since January 24, more than 220,000 passengers have entered Ethiopia through the main airport in Addis-Ababa and have passed through screenings, according to a statement from Ethiopia’s health ministry on Monday.
More than 5,400 of those travellers were from countries that have reported COVID-19 cases. Twenty travellers with symptoms were tested for the new virus and all proved to be negative. Health officials are monitoring 875 travellers, including those with a history of travel to China, South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy.
Uganda fears outbreak is imminent
But Uganda said it is monitoring four patients isolated over the weekend after arriving in the East African country. The four, whose nationalities have not been revealed, are in an isolation ward at a hospital near the international airport in Entebbe, about 28 miles south of Kampala, the capital of over 2 million residents, according to Emmanuel Ainebyoona, a spokesman for Uganda’s health ministry.
More than 6,000 Chinese work in Uganda, many of them employed by Chinese construction firms contracted to put up infrastructure projects such as dams and highways.
Kenya opens isolation centre
Other African countries are taking similar measures, with the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta ordering that a national and treatment centre be opened within a week.
The country’s High Court ruled the same day that all 239 passengers who recently arrived on a China Southern Airlines flight should be tracked and quarantined at a military facility until declared free of the virus. The court also suspended all flights from China for 10 days.
South Africa too
South Africa said it set to evacuate 151 citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan – just as it disclosed that two of its citizens who had been working on the Princess Diamond cruise ship who have tested positive to the virus will stay in Japan for treatment.
South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases said Monday that it has tested 160 people for the new virus and all have been found negative.
Angola bars Nigeria, others
Angola announced Monday that it is barring entry to people arriving directly from China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.
Beware of fake news – UNICEF
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged Nigerians to always source for relevant information on preventive measures about coronavirus from reputable health agencies and organisations.
Mrs Blessing Ejiofor, UNICEF Communication Officer, Lagos Office, on Thursday said the organisation in collaboration with WHO was supporting the Nigerian government’s response to the outbreak
Ejiofor said UNICEF was aware of messages being circulated that were being falsely attributed to the organisation.
She, however, said that all genuine information could be found on its website, www.unicef.org.
Ejiofor said people could also see the WHO website for further updated information.