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Tag: Coronavirus

  • Nigeria hits over 9,000 Coronavirus infections

    Nigeria hits over 9,000 Coronavirus infections

    Nigeria’s Coronavirus infections have surpassed 9,000 with the addition of 387 new cases on Friday.

    According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, the nation now has 9,302 confirmed cases of Coronavirus, as the deadly virus continues to spread in the country.

    Lagos recorded a huge coronavirus infections, ramping up 254 new cases, while FCT recorded 29 fresh cases and Jigawa, 24 cases.

    According to the NCDC, “on the 29th of May 2020, 387 new confirmed cases and 2 deaths were recorded in Nigeria

    “No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours.

    “Till date, 9,302 cases have been confirmed, 2,697 cases have been discharged and 261 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

    “The 387 new cases are reported from 14 states- Lagos(254), FCT(29), Jigawa(24), Edo(22), Oyo(15), Rivers(14),Kaduna(11), Borno(6), Kano(3), Plateau(2), Yobe(2), Gombe(2), Bauchi(2), Ondo(1).”

    Affected States and figures in Friday’s infections

    Lagos-254
    FCT-29
    Jigawa-24
    Edo-22
    Oyo-15
    Rivers-14
    Kaduna-11
    Borno-6
    Kano-3
    Plateau-2
    Yobe-2
    Gombe-2
    Bauchi-2
    Ondo-1

  • The orphans of coronavirus – Owei Lakemfa

    By Owei Lakemfa.

    THE victims of the coronavirus, COVID-19, are not only those who contracted it. Not just those who lay helpless in hospitals, homes and isolation centres hoping to survive or waiting for death. They are not only the doctors and nurses, pharmacists and technologists, radiographers and medical workers who in a universal war of life or death, led humanity while the generals hide behind their white overalls.

    The victims are not just the babies delivered into the world only to be caught by the virus. They are not just the innocent who flocked to religious centres believing in clerics – overfed with tithes, offerings, contributions and gifts – who assured the faithful that as God’s children, they will not catch the virus, nor would the virus dare catch them. These are the innocent who believe that if it is their destiny to be infected, there is nothing they can do about it.

    The victims are not just the street children of Nigeria who are captured by belching state governors and expelled to various parts of the country in massive forced movements, spreading the virus. The victims are not only the citizens fooled into beliefs by leaders who speak before they think, assuring them the deadly virus is a mere flu that will disappear. The victims are not just those swayed by comedians occupying presidential villas and the media space to believe that the virus – which has frightened the toughest of the military to abandon deadly warships – is ‘Made in China, and what is made in China does not last.’

    The victims are not just the innocent forced to go to work so the wheels of capitalism can be oiled, only to return home, bearing the virus for their families. The victims include school children lured back too early to the classrooms and made to host the virus in their young bodies and infected lungs. They include those encouraged to flood the beaches to catch sunlight, catch fun and end up catching the virus.

    The orphans are not only the children of some of the over 350,000 persons with whom we ushered in the 2020 New Year but who will never witness another year. They include some of the current 5.5 million infected persons who despite surviving COVID-19, will bear the after effects throughout their lives.

    The orphans include business owners whose investments went down the drain, traders who can no longer trade and workers who became unemployed. They include pilots and flight engineers, beautiful air hostesses and handsome flight attendants who have been grounded across the world, and may never fly again even if some of the aircraft return to the air.

    But, sure there is money to be made, or being made from COVID-19; officials who profit from its corruption, politicians making millions from COVID-19 palliatives for the vulnerable and very poor. Religious clerics who put the fear of God in people making them part with their wealth or transfer their money into bottomless funds. This is nothing new for there were clerics even in Biblical times who “sold the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes” (Amos 2:6)

    However, profiting from the virus is allowable in a dog-eat-dog system. More so when China, the fall guy, is very rich. Its GDP in 2019 was $14.3 trillion and its natural resources is estimated at $23 trillion. So people in a number of countries, from United States to India, Germany to Nigeria, are falling on themselves to sue China for huge sums based on their claimed collapse of businesses and income loss.

    These potentially lucrative suits are based on issues such as China allegedly manufacturing the virus, being its natural source, not being proactive enough to stop its spread, not giving timely warning to other countries.

    I am disappointed that the Nigerians suing can insult 200 million people by asking for a meagre $200 billion. So I plan to meet them and ask they jack up the amount to a minimum trillion dollars which will be more befitting. If they agree, I am sure I will get 10 percent of the increase and never work again in my life.

    So, the Nigeria case is very dear to my heart and I like the boldness. They simply wrote China telling it to pay them the $200 billion by June 1, 2020 or: “We shall have no option but to commence appropriate legal action against your country in Nigeria.” It is like someone holding a gun to your head and saying your money or legal suit.

    I am afraid that these claimants may make us lose this suit because the basis of their claims is built on unverified rumours and the rickety foundation that it is the alleged activities of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China that produced COVID-19. They make Nigeria a laughing stock because there is no such research or investigation with such conclusion. Secondly, there is no scientific evidence anywhere that COVID-19 is an artificial virus.

    Thirdly, it insults the intelligence of Nigerians, an highly educated and quite knowledgeable people, that a group of otherwise literate Nigerians would parrot the unintelligent gibberish by President Donald Trump that COVID-19 is a “Chinese virus”.

    President Trump played that card when it was assumed that the Wuhan case which occurred at the close of December 2019 was the earliest in the world, therefore, the virus started in China. However, French scientists have since discovered that the perplexing case of Amirouche Hammar, a fishmonger in Paris who fell ill in November 2019, was actually COVID-19.

    Yves Cohen, head of resuscitation at the Avicenne and Jean Verdier hospitals who led the research into old samples and with improved testing kits, discovered that Hammar was COVID-19 positive. Cohen’s research was published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. Mr. Hammar himself told the French BFM Television he was surprised when doctors informed him that what was thought as flu in November was actually COVID-19.

    The Mayor of Belleville, New Jersey, United States, Michael Melham who fell sick in November 2019 with COVID-19 symptoms said his doctor assumed he had flu, but now knows it was COVID-19.

    The American Newsweek Magazine in its April 17, 2020 issue quoting Geneticist Peter Forster, from the University of Cambridge who is leading a team of international researchers investigating the historical processes of COVID-19, wrote that: “The coronavirus outbreak could have started as early as mid-September (2019) and the Chinese city of Wuhan may not be where it began…”

    The new findings that point to earlier sources of COVID-19 may have rendered the court cases against China a nullity and those who hope to benefit from them may have become a distinct group of coronavirus orphans.

  • South Africa opens economy June under key regulations

    South Africa will allow most economic sectors including mining and manufacturing to fully resume operations from next month as the country further eases coronavirus lockdown regulations, the government said on Thursday.

    Africa’s most industrialised economy has been largely shut since a nationwide lockdown began in late March. South Africa has reported 25,937 cases of the new coronavirus, with 552 deaths.

    “This is the most significant reopening of the economy since the lockdown began…It opens up all of our core productive sectors from manufacturing to mining,” said Trade and Industry Minister, Ebrahim Patel.

    Some high-risk businesses such as hotels, lodges, hair salons and sit-down facilities at restaurants will remain closed.

    The government has permitted the sales of alcohol for home consumption from June. Limited domestic air travel has also been permitted, a government statement said, adding that further details would follow.

    President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that the country would ease restrictions to level three of its five-level lockdown plan from June.

    “In opening our economy, we must maintain a firm eye on our goal of flattening the curve and minimising the rates of infections and deaths,” said Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

    The mining industry, which has recorded 320 cases of coronavirus so far, is among the industries that will return to full capacity.

    Mines across South Africa, the world’s biggest producer of platinum and chrome and a leading producer of gold and diamonds, were forced to shut temporarily when the lockdown began.

    Open-cast mines have been allowed to work at full capacity since May 1, while deep-level mines – where social distancing is more difficult to achieve – were restricted to 50 per cent.

  • The glorious beauty of Coronavirus in Nigeria – Godwin Etakibuebu

    The glorious beauty of Coronavirus in Nigeria – Godwin Etakibuebu

    By Godwin Etakibuebu

    Coronavirus or COVID-19 arrived Nigeria beautifully dressed on February 27, 2020, courtesy of one unnamed Italian male. It came with all its perfections, the same way it visited other countries before arriving here, and the same manner it has gone to all other earthly villages after our dear country.

    The good news was that it met Nigeria perfectly well – as perfectly prepared as it was expected of the only Africa Giant. Nigeria; the “ebulliently adorable none-sleeping” Africa Elephant, was typically in its element of state of “readiness” when this beautiful Coronavirus arrived. Trust the Nigerian Nation State, never short of readiness on any given subject, it became an interesting discovering of an efficiently prepared Bride [COVID-19 is the bride] meeting with most adequately prepared Groom – Nigeria is the groom.

    How do l know this – the bride and groom expansionist interrogation of the discussion? Pardon my little but necessary diversion in identifying Coronavirus in its true sexual personality. On April 1, 2020, in the remote town of Raipur; the capital of the State of Chhattisgarh, in India, a 27 years old lady; Preeti Verma – wife of Vinay Verma, gave birth to twins – a boy and a girl, in Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital.

    On the day of the naming ceremony, the couple settled down to a very unique but unexpected epoch history making names. The baby girl was named Corona while her brother was named Covid. Let us wait a moment for the young mother’s explanation why the choice of these names.

    “With vehicular movement stopped” [it was the era of Coronavirus lockdown in the whole of India], “we both made it to the hospital somehow late at night after a lot of suffering.
    Since the deliveries happened after such difficulties, we wanted the names to be memorable and unique,” she was quoted as saying. The young father; Vinay Verma added this beautiful prose. “Besides, these names are beautiful in their own, with Corona being Latin for crown; also, we want the fear associated with these names to end and the public to focus on sanitation and hygiene.”

    It is for this scene that l came to the opinion that Coronavirus might, after all, be one “cute and beautifully, attractive lady” of substance. We shouldn’t dwell too much on either it is female or male but it will be sufficiently enough to look at how Covid-19 met Nigeria and its state of preparedness for any exigency. Paradoxically, we were in deep mess; the mess we have been so used to that the other side of life – better life in all interpretation and expectation, had long been lost to us. Let us look at few of many beautiful things Coronavirus brought to us.

    Quickly, the Word Health Organisation announced the first line of remedy, which was regular washing of hands for not less than 20 seconds. How did Nigeria receive this instruction, which is a most needed solution in pushing the virus away from us?

    Nigeria had been a country without water supply from governments, albeit the three tiers of government – Federal, State and Local Government. This has been on for many years in spite of the Federal Government running a full-fledged Ministry of Water Resources. This octopus Ministry of Water Resource, receives huge budget allocation of billions of Naira annually, and not once we ever saw money being returned back to the Nigerian Treasury at the end of a financial year for lack of use.

    What this implies is that the Federal Government ought to be providing water to all its citizenry, rightful and regularly. Ditto the State Governments. But isn’t this a great fallacy? Nigerians know that for them to enjoy what other citizens of the world enjoy under governments; like water, light, transport, security etc, they [Nigerians] have to provide all these, and more for themselves.

    So, when the instruction that we must be washing our hands regularly came; Nigeria – through the glory of inglorious governments over the years, was met in deep sleep. That leaves only one alternative with the people – if washing of hands is one of the ways to remain alive, then the Nigerian people should prepare for death, except those that have been able to provide water for themselves.

    The state of the Nigerian Health Care had gone comatose over the years, spanning over 30 years. Those of us who are adults remember General Sani Abacha, while heralding the coup-de-tat that brought Major General Muhammadu Buhari in as Head of State in 1984, one of the things the interloper announced was that “Nigerian Hospitals are no more clinics for health practices, but mere mortuaries”.

    This was Sani Abacha announcement in 1984, and 36 years later, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, unfortunately under Muhammadu Buhari [now as a democratically elected President]; Boss Mustapha, admitted a few weeks ago, in his capacity as the Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, that he did not know that the Nigerian Health Sector was almost dead.

    “I can tell you for sure, I never knew that our entire healthcare infrastructure was in the state in which it is. Until I was appointed to do this work,” he said. Let us listen to the details of his narration as such will help us to see the ugliest cubicle of Nigerian dirtiness that the beautiful Coronavirus met when it arrived on February 27, 2020.

    “I think after COVID-19, Nigeria will not be the same again because there are some basic infrastructures that we have neglected for a very long time and I believe that, this will help us in putting those infrastructures in place. So that in case we have another disaster, we will be able to work as a team and as a nation to ensure that in whatever we need to do, there are processes, there are allocations and there are enumerations that have been conducted about the kind of people that should benefit from certain categories of palliatives,” he said.

    Mr Mustapha also made another startling revelation when he said “developed countries like the United States of America (USA) were able to distribute palliatives because they have the infrastructure in place”, he said, adding that “in America, people are entitled to certain palliatives because they have an infrastructure, they have a system that helps them in determining what you can benefit from”.

    He revealed that because of infrastructures’ existence, American people were able to have palliatives. The implication of this revelation is that the Nigerian people – the citizens, could not receive palliatives because infrastructures that made such assignment possible are non-existence in Nigeria. It became obvious, ipso facto that all the hullabaloos made by the governments in distribution of palliatives, mostly at the federal level, was nothing but ghostly noises of deceit, because according to Mr Mustapha, “the infrastructures of doing such charitable work are non-existence in Nigeria”.

    Yet, all top government functionaries, led by Lai Mohammed; Minister of Information and Culture, did not waste time telling Nigerians about “the billions of Naira already distributed as palliative” to the citizens. What a lie! What a wicked way of stealing the people’s money!

    Nigerians were told of incoming lockdown, which was the rightful thing to do because other countries around the world did so. It meant that those who could afford it should stock their homes with food items, and in most cases, the food items are to be stored in freezers. Some countries around the world, including Ghana – our neighbour, gave electricity free of charge to their citizens for a period. Nigeria did not give – though the electricity providers in Nigeria promised some months’ free electricity; which turned out to be a wizardry fallacy, because it is one commodity [electricity] that it did not have.

    Yet, this is one struggle every government have spent Billions and Trillions of Naira upon, starting from President Olusegun Obasanjo; whom we were told spent 16 Billion American Dollars, through Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to Goodluck Ebere Jonathan, and up to Muhammadu Buhari; whom his first minister for Power [Babatunde Raji Fashola] boasted to the whole world in 2015, that any government that could not fix light problem in Nigeria within 6 months is not worth a government. All of them invested in darkness without giving us light.

    As for this reason, Nigerians obey their government, went to the market to buy, and stock their homes in anticipation of lockdown, only for their invested money to be knockdown into a terrible pit of waste.

    Having mentioned only four items out of those numerous things that set the Nigerian Statehood in a tripod [representing the three major tribes that control the destiny of almost three hundred other tribes] of distinction, the most distinguished Lady; Coronavirus, came in her gloriously beautified attire, and met us fully prepared.
    Or didn’t she meet Nigeria in a state of full preparedness?

    Godwin Etakibuebu; a veteran Journalist, wrote from Lagos.

    Contact:
    Twitter: @godwin_buebu
    Facebook: Godwin Etakibuebu
    Facebook Page: Veteran Column
    Phone: +234-906-887-0014 – short messages only.
    You can also listen to this author [Godwin Etakibuebu] every Monday; 9:30 – 11am on Lagos Talk 91.3 FM live, in a weekly review of topical issues, presented by The News Guru [TNG].

  • Respite for Nigeria as daily new Covid-19 cases fall below 200

    Respite for Nigeria as daily new Covid-19 cases fall below 200

    The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on Thursday confirmed 182 new cases of Coronavirus in the country, with Lagos ramping up huge figures.

    The total number of confirmed Coronavirus cases stand at 8,915.

    Of the 182 new cases, Lagos recorded 111 cases, which represented a drop from the 256 cases it raked in on Wednesday.

    The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, recorded 16 new cases, with Akwa Ibom raking in 10 fresh cases and Oyo, with eight new cases.

    According to the NCDC, five deaths were also recorded on Thursday, taking the overall total to 259.

    “On the 28th of May 2020, 182 new confirmed cases and 5 deaths were recorded in Nigeria. No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours.

    “Till date, 8,95 cases have been confirmed, 2,592 cases have been discharged and 259 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

    “The new cases are reported from 15 states- Lagos (111), FCT (16), Akwa Ibom (10), Oyo (8), Kaduna (6), Delta (6), Rivers (5), Ogun (4), Ebonyi (4) Kano (3), Plateau (2), Gombe (2), Kwara (2), Kebbi (1), Bauchi (1), Borno (1),” it said.

    How States Stand in Thursday’s new infections

    Lagos-111
    FCT-16
    Akwa Ibom-10
    Oyo-8
    Kaduna-6
    Delta-6
    Rivers-5
    Ogun-4
    Ebonyi-4
    Kano-3
    Plateau-2
    Gombe-2
    Kebbi-1
    Kwara-2
    Bauchi-1
    Borno-1

  • UPDATE: NDDC Director, Etang died of COVID-19, Commission shuts down operations

    UPDATE: NDDC Director, Etang died of COVID-19, Commission shuts down operations

    Amid the financial crisis rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Ibanga Bassey Etang, Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Commission is dead.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr Etang, who was appointed on the 18 of December 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari into the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC died of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Wednesday night.

    The development has forced the NDDC to shut down operations for two weeks with immediate effect, with a directive for staff to go into self-Isolation immediately.

    The statement also noted that within the two weeks, the entire offices of the Commission would be fumigated.

    The statement signed by Silas Anyanwu reads: “I am directed to inform all staff that Management has approved that the Commission be shut down for Two Weeks from today 28th May, 2020.

    “Consequently, all activities in the Commission including ongoing matters are hereby shutdown for the time being.

    “Members of staff are to ensure that all electrical appliances in their offices are switched off before leaving the premises.

    “The Head Security is by this memo directed to work out modalities to ensure the safety and security of the Commission while Director Administration is requested to fumigate and decontaminate the entire offices and premises in the Headquarters during the period.

    “Meanwhile staff are enjoined to go into self-Isolation for two weeks as they await further directive from Management”.

    Etang’s death is coming amid the forensic audit of the Commission ordered by President Buhari.

    The National Assembly is also probing the finances of the NDDC under its present IMC.

    The body of Etang has been wheeled to the ‘Holding Area’, called ‘COVID-19 Area’, of Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt.

  • Lagos BRT: Operator speaks on when service will resume

    Lagos BRT: Operator speaks on when service will resume

    The operator of the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Primero Transport Services Ltd., says it will restore services on Friday, following talks with the Lagos State Government over withdrawal of its services.

    The BRT operator had withdrawn its services since Monday over losses due to COVID-19 new transport guidelines that mandated it to commute only 20 passengers per trip instead of 70.

    An authoritative source had told NAN that the company might likely run out of diesel and other supplies that would likely disrupt BRT operations in the state.

    Several BRT users had been complaining about this development since Friday when the news broke out and since Monday when the buses were withdrawn.

    Giving an update on the withdrawal of services, Mr Fola Tinubu, BRT Managing Director, told NAN on Thursday that the management felt the pains of commuters in the state since Monday.

    “I withdrew all the buses since Monday because we cannot continue at 20 passengers for 70 capacity buses without increase in fares. The losses, we are piling up, were just too much and threatening.

    “Primero should be back in full operations tomorrow (Friday) because we are talking to the Lagos State Government and all issues will be resolved today.

    “I am sorry for the inconveniences and distress this withdrawal of services has caused the teeming commuters in Lagos who rely on BRT services since Monday.

    “I assure everybody that Primero will be back in full operations tomorrow and we will put 320 buses out to make sure people get to where they are going in a fast and safe way,” Tinubu said.

    According to him, the firm will ensure that going forward, the wait time and queues at bus stations are reduced.

    “We will do all within our power to ensure resumption of operation. We would have resolved all our issues this afternoon,” he added.

    Tinubu, however, did not give details of the agreement reached betwen the state government and his company in respect of the fares and number of passengers to be carried per bus.

    On May 15, NAN reported shortage of BRT buses across various routes, presence of long queues and an increase in awaiting time at BRT stations in Lagos.

    BRT users have been complaining over the shortage of buses since the easing of the current lockdown on May 4.

    The state government had directed the 70-capacity buses to carry only 20 passengers.

  • Kogi State rejects COVID-19 status

    Kogi State rejects COVID-19 status

    Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna Audu has said the State has not recorded any case of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) contrary to the position of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Dr Audu made his position known in a statement on Thursday, saying “Kogi State till this very moment is Covid-19 free”.

    The statement reads: “Kogi State till this very moment is Covid-19 free. We have developed full testing capacity and have conducted hundreds of tests so far which have returned negative.

    “We have also continued to insist that we will not be a party to any fictitious Covid-19 claims which is why we do not recognise any Covid-19 test conducted by any Kogite outside the boundaries of the State except those initiated by us. Any attempt to force us to announce a case of Covid-19 will be vehemently rejected.

    “We continue to enjoin our people to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic into the State and give no listening ears to rumour peddlers and mischief makers.

    “We are more than prepared to secure the life of our people and have no interest in playing politics with their Health concerns. God bless Kogi State. God bless Nigeria!”

  • Akeredolu approves reopening of worship centres in Ondo from Friday

    Akeredolu approves reopening of worship centres in Ondo from Friday

    Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has ordered worship centres to resume activities from Friday (tomorrow).

    The religious activities, according to the governor, are to be guided and syndicated.

    Akeredolu said the religious activities were asked to resume after consultation with religious leaders and other relevant stakeholders.

    The Ondo Governor noted that if guided religious worship are carefully managed, casualty on account of such gatherings could be avoided.

    Akeredolu said mosques are to hold only Friday Jum’at services, while churches would hold services on Sundays only

    He warned religious leaders and administrators to ensure strict compliance with the social and physical distancing in the places of worship while water and soap must be provided at all entries into the centres or halls of worship.

    Akeredolu said all worshippers and workers inside the centres and within the premises must wear face masks and the premises decontaminated before and after the services.

    According to him, “I wish to stress that government has placed appropriate machinery in motion to monitor and ensure that these guidelines are implemented to the letter.

    “Cases of infringement, disregard or willful neglect of these extant regulations will be considered as serious threat to the society and will be sanctioned. Let me be more direct. Any church, mosque or worship centre, which fails to obey the simple rule, will be shut down immediately.

    Akeredolu disclosed that the state now has a total of 24 cases with 19 treated and discharged while two deaths were recorded.

    He said three persons were now on admission and receiving treatment and that 432 persons have been tested for COVID-19.

  • COVID-19 free status: Cross River has low testing capacity, shortage of personnel – PTF

    COVID-19 free status: Cross River has low testing capacity, shortage of personnel – PTF

    The Presidential Task Force Team on Wednesday has said the only state yet to record COVID-19 case in the country, Cross River, has low testing capacity.

    The team said this during a visit to the state.

    The team, which comprises experts from the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), noted that the state was also grappling with other challenges like inadequate surveillance, dearth of personnel, and other logistical problems.

    The PTF said it was in discussions with the state and other stakeholders to find ways to solve those problems.

    It also said although its first visit to Kogi State did not yield expected results, it is, however, hopeful that the second visit will be more productive as there is now better correspondence and understanding with the state.

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adeleke Mamora, who made this known yesterday in Abuja, during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said: “Kogi is yet to be visited the second time.

    But I can say that we have a better understanding with the government of Kogi this time around and we are hoping that when the team visits Kogi, we will have a better report based on better understanding.

    “For Cross River, we want to commend the Governor for welcoming the team and for the collaboration that took place and better understanding as well.

    Essentially, the findings at the end of the visit revolves around issues of security at the border, inadequacy of surveillance system and the low capacity for testing because of dearth of personnel to make this testing possible.

    “Of course, what was also observed was that the call centre is probably not what it should be, as it is still being set up as at that point in time. The situation may have changed now.

    “There was also the issue of difficulty in shipping test samples from Cross River State to Irrua reference laboratory in Edo state, which is possibly the nearest centre to Calabar. At the end of it all, there were discussions about how to mitigate these gaps and challenges.”

    Concerning updates on the hazard allowance and other incentives promised the frontline health workers, Mamora said: “The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health is currently in a meeting in this regard and I do hope that before the end of the week, the final outcome will be made available.”

    The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, added: “We are focused on supporting all the states in the country.

    Almost every single day I have been having discussions from Governors pushing for labs, treatment centres, commodities, technical support, guidance, and knowledge.”

    “So our hands are full, but the purpose of our existence is to support states and we will continue to do so.

    “I sent out messages to all state commissioners of health and their state epidemiologists over the Sallah holiday to really focus this week on getting in more samples.

    In Imo state, we just saw a small but significant increase in the number of cases because of their increased testing and the fact that they now have a lab in Owerri.

    “We have enough reagents to test over 100,000 people in our stockpile. The challenge now is how to work with state to reinvigorate the sample collection process, and this is the purpose of our work this week.”