TheNewsGuru

Tag: COVID-19

  • Meet Amarachukwu, doctor who suspected COVID-19 index case in Nigeria

    Meet Amarachukwu, doctor who suspected COVID-19 index case in Nigeria

    The Ogun State Government has singled out for commendation the young female doctor, Dr. Amarachukwu Karen Allison of Lafarge Nigeria, who suspected the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) index case in Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the State under the leadership of Prince Dapo Abiodun said, Amarachukwu’s singular brilliance led to the early diagnosis and rapid containment of the first Covid-19 infection in the country.

    “The Ogun State Government appreciates the young female doctor who suspected the index case in Nigeria in our State, Dr. Amarachukwu Karen Allison of Lafarge Nigeria. Her singular brilliance led to the early diagnosis and rapid containment of the first Covid-19 infection in the country,” the official Twitter account of the Ogun State Ministry of Health on Covid-19 tweeted.

    Amarachukwu is an experienced medical officer with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and health care industry. She is skilled in obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, family medicine, tropical medicine, and internal medicine, and a strong healthcare services professional with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT). She is BLS and ACLS certified.

    In her reaction, Amarachukwu thanked God for intuition and knowledge and also for the safety of her teammates who worked together at the time. She also prayed for health workers around the world who have paid the supreme sacrifice and to all families who have lost loved ones.

    “I want to thank God Almighty for intuition and knowledge and also for the safety of my teammates and I who worked together at the time. Special thanks to Lafarge, @NCDCgov @OGCovid19update @LSMOH @Fmohnigeria @IntlSOS for their prompt and professional response; Prof Moji Adeyeye DG NAFDAC @DGatNAFDAC @TundeIrukera (DG FCCPC) for your prayers, calls and support.

    “This is a very critical time for us all and I wish to impress on all the need to put adequate measures in place and join the global effort to address COVID-19.

    “My special prayers to health workers around the world who have paid the supreme sacrifice and to all families who have lost loved ones. To all unsung heroes, thank you. And not forgetting @WHONigeria for their swift and professional response,” she responded.

    Meanwhile, Ogun State has congratulated the Italian index case on completion of his treatment and expressed pleasure that he will be reunited with his family and friends after being cleared of the COVID-19 disease.

    “We congratulate the Italian index case on completion of his treatment and are pleased that he will be reunited with his family and friends after being cleared of the COVID-19 disease. There are valuable learnings to take from this case towards the successful management and limitation of transmission of the COVID-19 disease.

    “Firstly, a heightened index of suspicion, amongst frontline health workers such as Dr. Allison. Particularly Private Healthcare providers because they are the first point of contact for sixty percent of the populace.

    “Secondly, early diagnosis and prompt intervention by health personnel trained in the management of COVID-19 disease. Thirdly, strict self isolation and social distancing is effective in curtailing the spread of the disease as shown by the 40 contacts of the index case who were quarantined within designated facillities for 14days, until they were deemed fit to resume normal life.

    “Lastly, but most significant is the collaborative efforts of a multi disciplinary/multi sectoral team comprising of the federal government, the state governments of Ogun and Lagos, partners, both international and local.

    “Including the private sector, where latent resources, ranging from infrastructure to financial were tapped into to mount an appropriate response to COVID-19 disease. These all led to the success story of the first index case being discharged and integrated back into society within three weeks of diagnosis,” the State health ministry tweeted.

  • SERAP asks Buhari to instruct EFCC, ICPC to monitor COVID-19 spending

    SERAP asks Buhari to instruct EFCC, ICPC to monitor COVID-19 spending

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to use his leadership position to “urgently instruct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to jointly track and monitor spending by federal agencies and state governors to combat coronavirus or COVID19 pandemic in Nigeria.”

    SERAP said this “would remove the risks of corruption and mismanagement in our healthcare systems that are already weakened by systemic corruption.”

    In the letter dated 20 March, 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Coronavirus crisis requires quick responses but it also requires corruption safeguards to ensure public funds are well spent, and promote access to basic public health and other services to those most in need.”

    SERAP said: “By prioritising transparency and accountability in the spending of funds to combat coronavirus, your government will be taking preventive measures to ensure that the efforts to reduce the spread of the pandemic and promote the health and safety of Nigerians are not compromised by corruption.”

    SERAP expressed “concern that systemic corruption in the health sector across the country would hurt the federal and state authorities’ responses to the coronavirus crisis.”

    The letter, read in part: “The challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic also show the urgent need for your government to improve Nigeria’s health systems and to encourage state governors to commit some parts of their security votes to provide additional resources towards strengthening the health systems within their states.”

    “Your government ought to move swiftly to increase spending on efforts to combat coronavirus in the country and provide funding support to Nigerians that are most affected by the crisis, by presenting COVID-19 budget/spending plan to the National Assembly and setting up a COVID-19 trust fund to which wealthy individuals and others should be encouraged to contribute.”

    “The proposed increase in spending of funds on COVID-19 means accountability for those funds should be top of your government’s list of priorities, if it is to remove opportunities for corruption that can undermine initiatives to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

    “The EFCC and ICPC should ensure that anyone found to have mismanaged or stolen public funds meant for addressing the coronavirus pandemic are effectively prosecuted and punished.”

    “We also urge you to take urgent measures to ensure that health sector services in federal institutions and agencies are strengthened and that the appropriate corruption risk assessments are implemented and monitored.”

    “The lessons from the Ebola crisis is that even in times of public emergencies, there are those who aim to profit from others most affected by the crisis. Monitoring the spending on coronavirus would help to apply the lessons of the Ebola crisis and prevent corruption, which characterised the efforts to combat it in some countries including in Sierra Leone and Liberia, where patients reportedly paid bribes to access health services.”

    “Corruption in the spending of funds to combat coronavirus will undermine public trust in any efforts by your government to bring the spread of the pandemic under control, and deny access to basic public health services to Nigerians who need the services most.”

    “Monitoring the spending of public funds budgeted to combat coronavirus would also ensure respect for human rights and contribute to ensuring that Nigerians who cannot afford to pay bribes are not denied access to testing and treatment, and that high-ranking officials and wealthy individuals subject to quarantines are not abusing the systems.”

    “We will continue to closely monitor the situation and where appropriate invoke the Freedom of Information Act and take legal action to ensure transparency and accountability, and full respect for Nigerians’ human rights.”

    “The right to health provides that health facilities, goods, and services should be: available in sufficient quantity, accessible to everyone without discrimination, and affordable for all, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized groups.”

    “These obligations mean that your government should ensure that accurate and up-to-date information about the number of identified cases and spread of coronavirus in the country, access to services, service disruptions, and other aspects of the response to the outbreak is widely available and accessible to all.”

    “The right to health also imposes obligations on your government to minimize the risk of occupational accidents and diseases including by ensuring health workers and others involved in the coronavirus response have information and adequate protective clothing and equipment they need.”

    “This request is consistent with Nigeria’s international anti-corruption and human rights obligations including under the UN Convention against Corruption, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Nigeria has ratified these treaties.”

    “Under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Your government is obligated to take effective steps for the prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases.”

    “As the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which monitors state compliance with the covenant, has stated, the right to health is closely related to and dependent upon the realization of other human rights, including the rights to food, education, human dignity, life, non-discrimination, equality, and access to information.”

    “We hope that the aspects highlighted will help guide your actions in acting to ensure the effectiveness of any efforts to combat the coronavirus crisis in Nigeria. We would be happy to discuss any of these issues in more detail with you.”

  • COVID-19: Kaduna residents express fear over total lockdown

    COVID-19: Kaduna residents express fear over total lockdown

    Residents of Kaduna metropolis on Sunday expressed fear of total lockdown likely to be implemented by the government at levels to prevent and contain spread of the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

    The residents, however lauded the Federal Government for closure of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu and Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, effective from March 21.

    The residents also lauded the Federal Government for closing down NYSC camps, primary schools and higher institutions in order to prevent and contain spread of the virus.

    Malam Aminu Bello, a trader and a resident of Tudun Wada, Kaduna, spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He said that the Government’s decisions for locking down some institutions of the state was a good one but should not implement total lock down.

    “If the government implements total lock down measures toward containing corona virus, then a lot of people will die of hunger instead of the virus being tackled through other means, he said.

    “The petty traders only get money to feed our families when we go to market daily, we don’t stock pile food at home, if the government should implement the total lock down.

    ” This would surely make us die of hunger”, Bello said.

    He urged the government to implement restrictions on interstate movement of people as an alternative to the foreseen measures of total lock down.

    Another resident, Ibrahim Mu’azu, a civil servant, who resides in Zaria, said that with the current hardship and sufferings even before the coming of covid19, total lockdown would worsen the situation.

    “Some people didn’t save anything or prepare for any curfew or lockdown and some have to go and source for what to cater for their families on daily basis, he said .

    However, Mailafiya, a pharmacist at Sabo, Kaduna, however said that the total lock down would be an effective and stringent measure to curtail and contain the spread of the virus.

    “Nigeria should have been locked down long before now, if advanced countries with all the medical expertise will be locked jdown, why not Nigeria?, he said.

    Also speaking to NAN, Jarma Ibrahim, a butcher who resides at Unguan Mu’azu, kaduna, said that with the daily increase of the number of people infected with the virus, Nigeria would be locked down eventually.

    “In the case of wide spread of the virus in Nigeria, total lock down is not advisable because larger percentage of our population don’t stock food in their stores.

    “The Government should enforce strict measures and laws to prevent and contain the virus that if one is found violating them, he or she should be dealt with severely, he said.

    “However, if total lock down comes into play,it will lead to business closure which will eventually lead to hunger, fear, panic, hysteria hand. irrational decisions, he added.

    “There would be very high increase of crime rates, looting and daylight robbery will become the order of the day, Ibrahim said.

    Emmanuel Nmadu, a resident of Narayi Highcost in Kaduna, in his own opinion, said “total lockdown will be very dangerous to our demography, we are not prepared for such kinds of emergencies, he said.

    “People should be sensitised repeatedly through all means possible on the dangers involved in attending social gatherings in this trial time”, Nmadu said.

  • Relax, COVID-19 will soon pass, it will not come near you, Adeboye tells members

    General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has said the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has come to stay and advised everyone to be relaxed that God is using the pandemic to show that He is still the One on the throne.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Pastor Adeboye, fondly referred to as Daddy GO, stated this during a special service streamed live on various Internet platforms and television stations on Sunday.

    “I have a word for those of you who are my children. At the beginning of the year, I asked you to fast for 50 days and you did so without asking why. You fasted because you trust me. With the same trust, I want you to go ahead and relax. No plague is coming near you.

    “At the beginning of the year, I told you that God told me that the earth would behave like a child having convulsions. There was something else He said that I didn’t share. He told me that this year, the whole world will go on a compulsory holiday.

    “Daddy wants to show the world that He’s still the One on the throne. As soon as He shows everyone that He can shut down the whole world, He will remove the plague. How long that will take I cannot tell you. So my children, enjoy this public holiday from heaven. You have nothing to worry about.

    “You may ask, why would God allow sickness? Is the devil not the author of evil? Yes he is, but God controls the devil. Look at the story of Job.

    “Someone did a research and found out that the number of people that have died in the 1st quarter of 2020 from malaria is more than 5 times the number of those who have died from Corona virus.

    “The reason Corona virus is interesting is because it is a noisy pestilence,” Pastor Adeboye said.

    However, he urged members and Nigerians to obey all the hygiene requirements, advising that everyone should maintain strict hygiene even beyond COVID-19, while concluding that cleanliness is Godliness

    “We have always strongly upheld cleanliness in the Redemption Camp. Cleanliness is next to godliness

    “The governments of the various nations have tried within human ability as regards the Corona virus. The Lord God Almighty will bless them all.

    “Don’t be surprised at those who are mocking prayers; just pray for them because they’re mocking the One who answers prayers. Don’t get angry at them, just pray for them.

    “Relax. No problem for you; no plague will come near you. The word of God. Relax be at peace. Breathe freely. Relax. All is going to be well with you.

    “You can see the major and minor countries already locking down. No one wants to travel again. The world will at least know that there is someone who is the Almighty.

    “Coronavirus will subside just like Ebola and all the other plagues before it. It will go into the background but it will not die.

    “If anyone tells you it will die, na lie. It has come and it has come to stay. But relax, it will not come near you.

    “Beyond the uncertainty of this period, you must always dwell in the presence of the Most High,” the GO said.

  • COVID-19: How Pandemic paralyses activities in parts of U.S.

    COVID-19: How Pandemic paralyses activities in parts of U.S.

    By Dayo Benson Editor Politics,Law/Human Rights

    These, certainly, are not the best of times for President Donald Trump. Like most world leaders, the 45th President of the United States is grappling with an existential crises. A pestilence, a plague and a pandemic.

    Science has not established the exact origin of Coronavirus COVID-19, at least, World Health Organization (WHO). However, President Trump describes it as “China virus”.
    He insists the characterization is not racist. “No, it’s no racist, it came from China”, he told journalists in White House Tuesday March 17. It was a Presidential pushback to China’s earlier allegation that the virus came from U.S. soldiers. For International Relations experts, COVID-19 is a global virus that requires global, rather than individual country’s solution.

    “Other countries have a lot to learn from China, it is a battle no country can win alone”, says an American International Relations expert.

    Trump has picked up the gauntlet. He describes himself as a “war time President”. This, no doubt, is the toughest battle of his presidency. Nonetheless, a political battle is ahead. Outcome of the current one, may impact the one to come. United States, he says, is fighting “an invisible enemy and we are going to defeat the invisible enemy ”.

    Already, the ravaging enemy is infecting the population exponentially. All the 50 States have confirmed cases. Nationwide, casualty figures are climbing.

    Vice President Mike Pence, at the daily briefing Saturday, March 21, said there were 19,343 confirmed cases. Other sources put the figure at over 20,000. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) official figure of confirmed cases was 15,219 , with over 260 deaths recorded Friday, March 20,2020.
    This was a spike from 8,700 reported confirmed cases March 18, with 149 killed. Daily, more are succumbing to the suffocating clutch of Coronavirus, there is no let up. A family of 7 in New Jersey lost 4 members in one day. New York is the epicenter of the virus with over 10,000 confirmed cases Saturday. A major increase from the previous day figure of over 4,000. President Trump made a Major Disaster Declaration for New York, the first time in U.S. history.

    New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, agrees with Trump that the current situation is akin to war. “We are fighting the same war, we are in the same trench and his actions demonstrate that”, Cuomo said. In order to prosecute the war, President Trump invoked Defence Production Act.
    The Act, which came into effect after the World War II, empowers the President to command mass productions of defence materials. In this instance, mass production of nose masks and ventilators.

    Two Naval Hospital Ships with 1,000 beds would be deployed in New York in anticipation of a surge in cases of patients.
    The hospital ships are expected to arrive in coming days. Treatment and surgery can be performed on board. The governor had appealed to the Federal Government for help.

    New York City has the largest population in the country. Additionally, the Military Engineering Corp is expected to assist the City build more hospitals. Available spaces, including closed hospitals, abandoned dormitories and old cinema houses are to be converted. Governor Cuomo said bed spaces would be created inside Westchester County Center because of the pandemic prevalent in the area. The county has recorded the highest number of confirmed cases so far.

    These measures are not unexpected in the current situation which Trump described as “an uncharted territory” while fielding questions from journalists Thursday, during daily briefing.

    Late in the evening, California Governor Gavin Newsom , in a short broadcast, ordered the 40 million population of the state to stay at home. The order is to stave off half of the population from being infected with the deadly virus in the next eight weeks. California counts among the largest economies in the world. The governors of Illinois, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Oregon have followed California’s footstep. More states are likely to be on lockdown as the scourge ripples across the country.

    Ahead of the stay at home order to stem the virus spread, schools, businesses, public places and non essential services have been shut. For students, learning will be done remotely. Some states are providing digital learning materials to facilitate the process. Students who rely on school meals for breakfast and lunch pick up their meals at designated centers daily across counties. Among few exceptions, only hospitals, gas stations, fire service, police station and grocery stores are allowed to operate. For effect, violators may face civil fines. Some states threaten criminal charges.

    The every bustling New York City cut an unfamiliar image of itself last week. Streets, subways and stores were deserted as people adjust to new culture of social distancing to stay safe.

    It is same sombre story at the political front. All activities have been put on hold. Democratic establishment has suspended its remaining presidential primaries. Ohio opted out of March 17 Big Tuesday primaries to prevent spread of the pestilence. The late poll postponement at the behest of the governor created confusion among voters and poll workers.

    Apart from dead and those still fighting to live, there are many other victims of the virus. The crushing economic impacts on businesses and individuals are telling.

    Jobs are slipping away every second. Several businesses are folding up and workers are routinely laid off. An unprecedented helpless Americans have filed for unemployment insurance.

    In New York, it was the worst week at the stock market on Wall Street. As Coronavirus spreads, the economy shrinks. Citizens and businesses await the government promised lifeline.

  • Coronavirus: Five suspected cases in Nasarawa tested negative

    Coronavirus: Five suspected cases in Nasarawa tested negative

    The Nasarawa Government has said that all the five suspected cases of COVID-19 being isolated at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Keffi, tested negative to the virus.

    Ahmed Yahaya, State Commissioner for Health, disclosed this at a press briefing on Saturday, following and emergency stakeholders meeting at the Government House, Lafia.

    According to the Commissioner, the results from a specimen taken from the five suspected cases for a test at the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Abuja, all came back negative.

    Yahaya said that the five persons were still undergoing some clinical processes and would soon be discharged from the isolation centre.

    He added that the government has put machinery in place to curtail any case of COVID-19 in the state.

    He said the government had set up response teams, domiciled at FMC Keffi and Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) Lafia with isolation centres at the two facilities.

    “The suspected cases that were confirmed negative were quarantined at one of the isolation centres in Keffi.

    “The isolation centre in DASH has been expanded to 18 rooms; nine each for suspected cases and confirmed cases if any,” the Commissioner added.

    He further explained that Gov. Abdullahi Sule had directed the resumption and completion of work at the Epidemiology Centre Lafia to assist in the fight against infectious diseases.

    Yahaya, therefore, called on members of the public not to panic as the government was prepared to tackle all infectious diseases including COVID-19.

    On his part, Retired Justice Sidi Bage, Emir of Lafia and Chairman, Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, commended the state government for the efforts to educate the public about the pandemic.

    The Emir promised that as traditional rulers, they would stepdown the sensitisation to their subjects, especially those at the grassroots who are more ignorant of the situation.

    The Emir also urged the public to maintain social distance and improve on personal and environmental hygiene as advised by the government and experts to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

  • COVID-19: CBN, Bankers’ Committee To Support Pharmaceutical Coys

    As the country continues to tackle the spread of the corona virus, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee rose from an extra-ordinary meeting held in Lagos on Saturday, March 21, 2020, with the pledge to grant funding facilities (in Naira and foreign exchange) to pharmaceutical companies in the country to enable them procure raw materials and equipment to boost local drug production in Nigeria.

    The Bankers’ Committee also gave its full support to the policy measures amounting to over N3.5 Trillion earlier announced by the CBN in response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 on Nigeria.

    The Governor, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who chaired the meeting and read the communique, listed the companies to include, but not limited to, Emzor, Fidson, GSK, May & Baker, Unique Pharma, Swiss Pharma, Neimeth, Sagar, Orange Drugs, and Dana Pharma.

    According to him, the Bankers’ Committee took the decision to support the pharmaceutical companies given the fact that the present pandemic was of grave public health concern, coupled with the fact that many drug-manufacturing countries planned or had already banned the export of drugs and medical supplies from their respective countries, thereby leaving Nigeria no choice but to produce the drugs locally.

    Mr. Emefiele further disclosed that the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee had resolved at this time to collaborate with one coherent strategy to provide confidence to the customers, counter parties, the public and ultimately putting Nigeria first.

    While disclosing that engagements will be held with correspondent banks, trade creditors, trading partners regarding existing letters of credit and trade commitments, the CBN Governor assured that the industry was committed to resolving all existing commitments in a comprehensive and orderly way.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Emefiele said the industry had also resolved that profit would not be the primary motive at this time. “Rather, preserving confidence, financial stability and support for the economy will be the overriding objectives,” he added.

    Considering the disruptions to global supply chains, the CBN Governor and the Bankers’ Committee advised Nigerians and companies to prioritize their import needs and focus more on sourcing raw materials and input locally.

    It will be recalled that in the past week, the CBN, in response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 on Nigeria, had announced policy measures such as the additional moratorium of one year on CBN intervention facilities, interest rate reduction on intervention facilities from 9% to 5%; the activation of the N1.5 trillion InfraCo Project for building critical infrastructure; the strengthening of the lending to deposit ratio policy, additional N100billion intervention in healthcare loans to pharmaceutical companies; and the N1 trillion in loans to boost local manufacturing and production across critical sectors.

    To improve foreign exchange supply to the CBN, the Bank directed all international and domestic oil companies and related companies such as oil servicing companies to sell foreign exchange to the CBN and no longer the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

  • COVID-19: Adeboye begins Sunday Morning sermon on TV

    Sequel to the Federal and State governments’ directive on restriction of mass gatherings during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor E.A. Adeboye will from tomorrow, Sunday, 22nd March be ministering live on television to millions of the members of the church across the globe.

    Recall that the leadership of the church had earlier reiterated it’s commitment and support to every effort being made globally to control and end the pandemic.

    In a statement signed and released by Head, Media & Public Relations of the church Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, the Assistant General Overseer in charge of Administration and Personnel, Pastor Funso Odesola directed the branches of the Church in all locations to comply with the measures put in place by the various authorities.

    He assured that there would be regular updates on the Mission’s response as events are reviewed based on progress made in combating the global challenge.

    The Assistant General Overseer charged all Ministers and Members of the Church to be vigilant and comply with relevant government directives on the control and spread of the virus. He said that anyone who notices any of the symptoms of the virus, should heed government advice on self isolation, and consult a Government Medical Center immediately

    The statement disclosed that with effect from Sunday 22nd March 2020, the General Overseer of the Mission, Pastor E.A Adeboye would be on air with a sermon every Sunday Morning for the next four Sundays. The sermon which would be transmitted on the Church’s Dove Television and other platforms would be another opportunity for a corporate prayer to God for help in the present circumstance.

    Pastor Odesola enjoined the Pastors to guide the congregation to maintan all COVID~19 etiquette such as social distancing and high standard of personal hygiene, including handwashing regularly with running water and soap. Proper use of hand sanitizers should also be encouraged, he said.

    In his words, “with Prayer and faith, we believe that God will help us, so that our lives may return to normalcy soon

    We admonish all of us to use this opportunity to draw closer to God and intercede for ourselves, family and the world at large.

    You will recall that at the cross~over service into Year 2020, the General Overseer said that the earth is going to behave like a child having convulsion. The General Overseer made it clear that though there would be series of battles in the Year, you will win. What is going on in the world today is a confirmation of this word of God but we have the assurance that as we pray, God will answer and grant us victories.

    The statement however advised members not to panic as like every other similar crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic too shall soon pass.

     

  • COVID-19: Chloroquine may cause more harm than good, says Lagos Govt.

    COVID-19: Chloroquine may cause more harm than good, says Lagos Govt.

    The Lagos State Government has said popular malaria drug, chloroquine, approved by the U.S. for treatment of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has significant side effects and should not be used without medical supervision, stressing it may cause more harm than good.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the U.S. on Thursday approved chloroquine, for the treatment of Coronavirus (COVID-19), with President Donald Trump saying at a Coronavirus Task Force news conference that the drug could help with symptoms of COVID-19.

    “It is known as a malaria drug and it’s been around for a long time and it’s very powerful. The nice part is, it’s being around for a long time, and so we know that if things don’t go as planned it’s not going to kill anybody.”

    “Normally the FDA would take a long time to approve something like that and it was approved very, very quickly. We’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately,” Trump said.

    However, according to the Lagos State Ministry of Health, there is no hard evidence that chloroquine is effective in preventing or managing COVID-19.

    “We are watching the global research space to clearly define its efficiency in COVID-19. Lagos State Ministry of Health will be conducting its own clinical trial on the effectiveness of chloroquine in the prevention or management of COVID-19 infection.

    “Chloroquine has significant side effects and should not be used without medical supervision, as it may cause more harm than good. In summary, await our directives for the use of chloroquine and do not use it without medical supervision,” the Ministry stated.

    COVID-19: NCDC warns Nigerians against use of Chloroquine

    Similarly, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has warned Nigerians against the use of Chloroquine, saying it was not approved for treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

    NCDC, in a tweet on Friday, noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not approved the use of Chloroquine for COVID-19 management.

    The agency said that scientists were working hard to confirm the safety of several drugs for the disease, thus warned citizens against engaging in self-medication.

    “This will cause harm and can lead to death,” it said.

    Also, Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to the Lagos State Governor, through his Twitter handle, @Gboyegaakosile, disclosed that hospitals were receiving patients suffering from Chloroquine poisoning.

    Akosile attributed the information to Dr OreOluwa Finnih, the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Health.

    He urged the citizens against massive consumption of Chloroquine as a measure to fight.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some Nigerians had started purchasing Chloroquine as a preventive measure against COVID-19, since news broke that China allegedly used Chloroquine as part of treatment for its COVID-19 patients.

    Coronavirus: Virologist warns against use of chloroquine

    Also, a Clinical Virologist, Dr Adeola Fowotade, has cautioned Nigerians against the use of Chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, for the treatment of Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

    Fowotade, a staff of the University College Hospital Ibadan, gave the warning on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan.

    The virologist said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has not included the drug as a treatment option for COVID-19 in its treatment guidelines.

    She said while early reports from China showed the potency of Chloroquine in treating patients with COVID-19, there was no formal and in-depth study to get information on its efficacy and safety.

    “Currently, the studies we have on using chloroquine to treat COVID-19 are mainly from China and they are still evolving research.

    “They found that chloroquine has a way of inhibiting COVID-19 by reducing the multiplication of the virus introduced to the cell lines.

    “The studies also reveal that chloroquine helped to improve recovery in some patients and also helped to reduce the number of deaths from COVID-19,” she said.

    Fowotade said that although chloroquine has shown potency in treating corona virus, NCDC was hesitant to approve it for COVID-19 treatment until adequate clinical trials were conducted.

    According to her, there is no enough evidence to also ascertain a safe and effective dosage to use in treating the virus.

    “Clinical trials take time but are necessary. Clinical trial is something that is meant to go through a number of phases starting from what they do in cells and they also need to do the same things in animals and they also want to look at the safety of the drugs.

    “For instance, if chloroquine is going to be used to treat COVID-19 there is probability that you will be using it at a much higher dose than what you use for malaria and check its safety at that higher dose.

    ”All these need to be checked even before you get to human clinical trial.

    “However, because of the urgency of the situation, the studies done in China simply moved from cells to humans and so the result that they have generated from there is not sufficient enough for us as a country and the NCDC is not adopting chloroquine at the moment.

    “In any case, the thing about viral infections ultimately is that most viral infections are self-limiting in immuno competent persons, the immune system is sufficient to clear the virus.

    “Ideally, for persons that have good immune response by themselves, if you give them good supportive care, the immune system is able to take care of the viral infection by itself,” she said.

    The virologist also cautioned Nigerians against using the antimalarial chloroquine as a prophylactic or preventive drug for COVID-19.

    She warned against panicking to avoid falling prey to misinformation and unfounded claims about coronavirus with regard to its prevention and treatment.

    “If the virus is not there, then there is no use or basis whatsoever for taking chloroquine as prophylaxis.

    “This is just like what happened during the outbreak of Ebola virus when people were told to take salt, the same is happening with chloroquine, this is wrong and should be discouraged.

    “When people get misinformed, they take wrong actions and refuse to observe the necessary and the correct actions.

    “Ultimately, this puts the lives of people at risk, increase the spread and makes nonsense of the entire control effort,” she said.

    NAN reports that chloroquine, which is a medication used to prevent and treat malaria was a widely prescribed treatment for malaria in Nigeria.

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States on Thursday said it was looking at a widespread and pragmatic clinical trials of the antimalaria drug for COVID-19.

    It has yet to approve chloroquine for the treatment of the coronavirus.

    NAN also reports that COVID-19 has infected over 200,000 persons world-wide, including 21 confirmed cases in Nigeria.

    NAFDAC approves chloroquine for clinical trials

    Meanwhile, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has approved chloroquine for clinical trials in tackling COVID-19.

    Director-General of the agency, Mojisola Adeyeye, made the disclosure at NAFDAC headquarters in Lagos on Friday, stressing that the Agency was not approving the drug for the treatment of COVID-19 but for clinical trials to find treatment for the virus.

    “In the case of Chloroquine, it has been demonstrated in the literature and with clinical research which is still ongoing, that Chloroquine is superior to the Placebo.

    “NAFDAC is not approving Chloroquine as a product that has can be used for Coronavirus because there is no submission to us for registration but because it is under clinical trials, NAFDAC approves medicines meant for clinical trials.

    “Therefore the medicine is being approved just for the clinical trials. Right now, we have asked one company to make a batch of Chloroquine for the purpose of clinical trials.

    “Nobody should use chloroquine as anti-malaria because of the resistance that has been proven to develop in the past after the use of chloroquine in the population,” Adeyeye said.

  • Italy’s Covid-19 death toll up by nearly 20% to 4,032

    Italy’s Covid-19 death toll up by nearly 20% to 4,032

    Italy’s death toll from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, on Friday rose to 4,032, in a 18.4-per-cent increase from Thursday.

    In its daily bulletin, the Italian Civil Protection Agency also reports that the total number of contagions is up by almost 15 per cent to 47,021.

    Recoveries are up by 15.5 per cent to 5,129, while the number of intensive care patients, a closely watched figure given the shortage of hospital beds, has risen by around 6 per cent, to 2,655.
    Lombardy, which surrounds Milan, remained the region worst hit by the outbreak, with more than 22,000 cases and 2,549 deaths. Lazio, the region that include Rome, reports 1,008 cases and 43 deaths.