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Tag: death toll

  • US coronavirus death toll surpasses 41,000

    US coronavirus death toll surpasses 41,000

    The total number of Coronavirus-related deaths in the United States has now surpassed 41,000.

    According to Johns Hopkins University, US now has 41,379 Coronavirus deaths.

    The US university – which has been tracking the outbreak since shortly after it erupted in China late last year – says there are now more than 746,000 confirmed infections across America, with the New York state being the worst-hit.

    On Sunday, protesters took to the streets in states across the US, demanding that governors reopen economies shut by the pandemic.

    But the virus has slowed in New York, the epicentre, according to its governor, Andrew Cuomo on Sunday.

    The downward trend in coronavirus hospitalisations comes as a welcome relief for New York where nearly 14,000 people have died, including 504 people in the last 24 hours.

    “If the data holds and if this trend holds, we are past the high point, and all indications at this point are that we are on a descent,” Cuomo said during his daily news conference.

    Cuomo warned that things in his state will not return quickly to pre-pandemic conditions.

    “The beast is still alive and the beast can rise up again,” he said, cautioning against easing lockdown measures too soon.

    U.S. states are now looking to see when and how they can reopen their economies while preventing a second surge in coronavirus cases.

    Governors in several states are saying they worry about reopening their economies from coronavirus shutdowns if testing is still not at the level needed to ensure early identification of resurgent outbreaks.

    The lack of testing is “probably the number one problem in America, and has been from the beginning of this crisis,” Maryland Governor Larry Hogan told CNN on Sunday.

    Deborah Birx, a key public health official, told CBS the federal government was working to expand testing, conceding that researchers from Harvard University are estimating half a million tests a day are needed to correctly deal with the pandemic.

    Vice President Mike Pence said on Fox on Sunday that capacity had reached 150,000 daily tests.

  • Lassa fever death toll reaches 185 in Nigeria

    Lassa fever death toll reaches 185 in Nigeria

    Amidst the global coronavirus outbreak, Nigeria has also been battling a Lassa fever outbreak since the beginning of the year with 951 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection.

    As of last week, the number of deaths from the fever was 176, meaning nine people died from it within the week.

    NCDC said there was a decline in the number of cases reported for the reporting week 13 as to the four consecutive weeks.

    The public health agency said 19 cases were reported for week 13, compared to 28 reported last week. These cases were reported from eight states – Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Kogi, and Delta.

    The decline in new cases might be explained by the beginning of rainfall in some parts of the country.

    Lassa Fever has become an endemic disease in Nigeria and is now being diagnosed all year round. The outbreak peaks in the dry season from November to May.

    According to the NCDC weekly report, three states, Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi, still have the highest number of cases from the outbreak.

    Of the confirmed cases, 72 per cent are from the three states: Edo, 32 per cent; Ondo 32, per cent, and Ebonyi eight per cent.

    The five states with the highest number of confirmed cases are Edo with 309 confirmed cases and 39 deaths; Ondo, 305 confirmed cases and 43 deaths; Ebonyi with 72 cases and 15 deaths; Taraba with 55 cases and 21 deaths and Bauchi with 42 cases and 18 deaths.

  • Coronavirus: Death toll rises to 19 in US, New York declares emergency

    Coronavirus: Death toll rises to 19 in US, New York declares emergency

    Two more persons died of coronavirus in the US State of Washington, bringing the nationwide toll to 19 as confirmed cases in New York jumped by 21 overnight and the disease spread to more than half of all U.S. states.

    The two latest deaths were in Washington’s King County, the hardest hit area in the United States after the virus spread among residents at a nursing facility in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland.

    The first deaths on the East Coast were announced late Friday, with two people succumbing in Florida.

    Organizers of the Conservative Political Action Conference, a high-profile annual gathering that took place in Maryland last month, said on Saturday one of their attendees had tested positive for the virus after exposure prior to the event. The person had no interactions with President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence, who were in attendance, the American Conservative Union said in a statement.

    Off California, passengers on a cruise ship that was barred from docking in San Francisco after some aboard tested positive for the novel coronavirus did not know on Saturday when they might be able to step ashore.

    In New York, the number of confirmed cases jumped by 21 overnight to a statewide total of 76 people, 10 of whom have been hospitalized, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday. He issued a declaration of emergency.

    “It allows expedited purchasing and expedited hiring, which is what we need right now,” Cuomo told a news conference.

    Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, told a news conference at the White House on Saturday that a total of 2.1. million coronavirus tests will have been shipped to non-public labs by Monday, as the Trump administration aims to counter criticism that its response to the disease has been sluggish.

    Hahn said the focus is on getting tests to the highest risk areas in Washington state and California.

    Multiple manufacturers will soon send millions more tests, he said. “What they told us is they believe they could scale up by the end of next week … for the capacity for 4 million additional tests that could be shipped,” Hahn said.

    The respiratory illness has spread to more than 90 countries, killing more than 3,400 people and infecting more than 100,000 worldwide.

  • Coronavirus death toll increases in Italy

    Coronavirus death toll increases in Italy

    Italy has recorded an increase in the death toll from Covid-19 on Monday after an 84-year-old man died in a hospital in the city of Bergamo.

    According to the Regional President, Attilio Fontana, the man had suffered from pre-existing conditions.

    After the Civil Protection Agency gave a nationwide rally of 152 on Sunday, the number of people infected with the new coronavirus has increased to 165 in Lombardy alone. Lombardy, home to 10 million people and the city of Milan, is Italy’s worst-hit region.

    Videos and photos have appeared online showing empty shelves and long queues at supermarkets in Milan, but Fontana said there was no need for panic buying, as food supply was secured.

    However, government decided on Saturday to block access to 10 municipalities in Lodi province South of Milan, forcibly confining tens of thousands of people. A municipality in Veneto is also on lockdown.

  • Death toll from Lassa fever outbreak rises to 24

    No fewer than 10 more people died in the third week of the outbreak of Lassa Fever, bringing the death toll to 24.

    According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 14 persons initially died from the outbreak as at the second week.
    indicates that additional 10 people lost their lives in the third week of the disease outbreak.

    In a report of the epidemiological report 13 – 19 January, the centre said: “In week 3, the number of new confirmed cases has increased from 64 cases in week 1, 2020 to 81. These were reported from six states – Ondo, Edo, Delta, Taraba, Plateau, and Bauchi.

    “89 percent of all confirmed cases are from Edo (38 percent), Ondo (38 percent) and Ebonyi (11 percent) states. The predominant age-group affected is between 11 and 40 years (Range: >11 to 60 years, Median Age: 33 years). The male to female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:1”.

    Ondo has the highest number of new confirmed cases at 43, followed by Edo at 33.

    Delta and Bauchi states had new confirmed cases of 2 each while Taraba and Plateau stood at one each.

    The national average for case fatality stands at 10.4 percent and while target case fatality rate should be below 10 percent.

    However, Ondo state seems to have overshot the national average and target case fatality rate at about 10.7 percent.

    “The overall case fatality rate (CFR) for 2020 is 14.7 percent which is lower than the CFR for the same period during 2019, which was 23.4 percent. In total for 2020, nine states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 32 local government areas.

    “The number of suspected cases has increased but is lower than the numbers reported in 2019. No Health Care Worker infection was identified in the reporting week 03,” the report said.

  • Death toll from Afghan university blast climbs to 8 – Official

    The death toll from the blast near the Kabul University in Afghanistan on Friday have risen to eight, an official said.
    Wahidullah Mayar, spokesman for Afghan Health Ministry disclosed that another 33 were also wounded in the incident that took place close to an entrance gate of a university.
    The Kabul police spokesman, Ferdous Faramarz, said that the bomber was inside a car with explosives attached to him, but it’s unclear whether the car itself was loaded with further explosive materials.
    Two magnetic bombs were also defused from the area.
    Faramarz said while the identity of the majority of the victims has yet to be determined, a number of students of the university were entering the compound at the time of the explosion.
    The Taliban have denied responsibility for the incident.
    Waves of violence throughout the country result in casualties on an almost daily basis despite ongoing talks to find a political solution to the conflict.
    The United Nations’ Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 1,773 causalities 581 deaths and 1,192 injured in the first three months January, February and March.
    The suicide and non suicide explosions accounted for 28 per cent, or 500 causalities.

  • Death toll rises in Adamawa mosque explosion

    The death toll in the bomb explosion in a mosque in Adamawa State has risen to 27, the state government said.

    The government also said 56 people were injured in the twin blast in a Mubi town.

    The state Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Ahmad Sajoh, made this known in a statement on Tuesday evening.

    ‎He said the 56 injured persons were on admission in a hospital.

    Mr Sajoh said the blast occurred inside a mosque in Kasuwan Gwanjo (second hand clothes market).

    “While condemning the satanic, cowardly and dastardly act, His Excellency Sen. Mohammed Umar Jibrilla Bindow, the executive Governor of Adamawa State, had ordered the immediate provision of medical supplies and mobilization of medical officers to the general hospital in Mubi.

    “In addition, the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) had been ordered to supply food and non-food items to the hospital to cater for victims and victims relations.”

    Mr Sajoh urged people to donate blood to help injured victims. He asked residents to be more vigilant and reiterated the government’s commitment to the protection of lives and properties of all citizens.

    Earlier, the police in Adamawa confirmed that 24 worshippers were killed‎ in the explosion which occurred while worshippers were holding the Zuhr (afternoon) prayer at about 1:00 p.m yesterday.

    ‘’While people were evacuating the victims of the first blast, another explosion occurred,” the spokesperson told newsmen

  • Lassa Fever: Death toll raises to 90

    The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Friday confirmed the death of 90 persons from Lassa fever.

    The situation report from NCDC for week eight, released on Friday disclosed that from January 1 to February 25, 2018, 1081 suspected cases and 90 deaths have been reported from 18 states rising from the initial 54 recorded.

    These states are Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Lagos, Taraba, Delta, Osun, Rivers, FCT, Gombe and Ekiti.

    The new situation report showed that 36 people died within a week.

    Fourteen health workers were also affected in six states- Ebonyi (seven), Nasarawa (one), Kogi (one), Benue (one), Ondo (one) and Edo (three) with four deaths in Ebonyi and one in Kogi.

    Sixty-nine per cent of all confirmed cases are from Edo (43 per cent) and Ondo (26 per cent). Case Fatality Rate in confirmed and probable cases is 22 per cent.

    As at last week, NCDC weekly epidemiological report released for ‘week seven’ disclosed that 913 suspected cases of the disease had been reported from 17 states.

    Out of these, 272 cases were confirmed positive and 54 deaths recorded giving a case fatality rate of 21 per cent.

    The situation report shows that the predominant age group affected is age group 21-40. The male to female ratio for confirmed cases is also 2:1.

    “A total of 2845 contacts have been identified from 18 active states and 1897 are currently being followed up,” states the report.

    Mr. Ihekweazu in an interview with Arise TV blamed the late presentation of the disease for treatment as one of the reasons for high mortality rates of the disease.

    He enjoined doctors to immediately ‘suspect’ Lassa fever whenever a patient comes to the hospital with presentations of ailments similar to fever.

    Mr. Ihekweazu said doctors should always take precautionary measures while handling patients’ treatments and also ensure to first test for malaria immediately patient present malaria symptoms.

    He said there are effective cheap rapid malaria test kits in the market that can be used to test for malaria.

    Mr. Ihekweazu explained that early presentation will make it easy to treat the patients instead of treatment of malaria for weeks when that is not the case.

    Meanwhile, NCDC has deployed teams to four Benin Republic border states (Kebbi, Kwara, Niger and Oyo) for enhanced surveillance activities, the report states.

    The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, had earlier blamed states health commissioners for lack of preparedness and slow medical intervention in tackling outbreak of Lassa fever in the country.

    Mr. Adewole had expressed disappointment at the way most states handled the outbreak as it showed lack of preparedness.

  • Lassa Fever: Okorocha warns against consumption of ‘raw garri’ as death toll rises

    Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Wednesday warned residents against consumption of ‘raw garri’ (cassava flakes) as three persons were confirmed dead in the state as a result of Lassa fever.

    The killer disease is rapidly spreading across many parts of the country.

    Seven cases of Lassa fever patients were also confirmed in the state.

    “This is not the period for people to drink raw garri because you know garri is not cooked and people just pour water on garri and drink and when rat has urinated on the garri. So people are advised as much as possible to ensure that their food is properly cooked,” the governor said.

    He said the cases were recorded in some hospitals, “somewhere in Orlu and some other parts of the State.”

    The first Lassa fever case this year was confirmed in Ebonyi state more than a week ago.

    Four people including three health workers died from the infection in the state.

    The disease have further spread to Kogi, Ondo and some other parts of the contry leaving death tolls.

    According to Mr. Okorocha, the speed at which the disease is spreading is worrisome.

    “This morning we woke up to hear that Lassa fever has killed three persons and we also have seven cases of Lassa fever patients and this number is too large for a State. And we are concerned about the speed of spread.

    “These cases were recorded in some hospitals, somewhere in Orlu and some other parts of the State. For this reason, we kindly advise that people should avoid over crowded areas, lessen the shaking of hands, and body contacts at this period,” the governor said.

    “The State is on it. The Ministry of Health has been adequately informed to take all necessary steps to curtail the spread.

    “We will do everything humanly possible to make sure that this spread is curtailed. While government is taking this action, people should keep a clean and healthy environment at this time, avoid so many children staying in one place while government should handle the burial of those that died of Lassa fever. As you know, Lassa fever is deadly but if any discovery is made, lives can be saved,” he added.

    Mr. Okorocha said all the confirmed cases have been put in isolation.

    “All the identified cases especially in Orlu, have been isolated and we have told the doctors not to take any more patients and even those in the hospital would be quarantined until such a time we have confirmed they are now positive in any form or shape.”

     

  • Death toll in London tower block fire rises to 17

    Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy said on Thursday that the death toll in the blaze that engulfed a residential tower in west London has climbed up to 17 lives and is expected to rise further.

    “Thirty-seven people remain in hospital, including 17 in critical condition, Cundy said.

    London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton said it “could take weeks” for firefighters to complete a search of the gutted, 24-storey Grenfell Tower.

    “I want to be realistic, this could be a long process,” Cotton said, speaking alongside Cundy.

    Cotton said that many of the 250 firefighters who tackled the blaze were traumatised by the “horrendous” scenes they found.

    He said that the officers had seen people jumping and throwing children from windows at the 120-home social housing block.

    “I spoke to one of my officers who was very near when someone came out of the window, and he was in tears, and he is a professional fire officer.

    “We like to think of ourselves as roughy, toughy, and heroes, they are heroes, but they have feelings, and people were absolutely devastated by yesterday’s events.

    “It was the worst thing I have ever seen, it was a horrendous, major incident of a large scale that involved so many people, and it was beyond belief.

    “Words cannot describe it, it was just that truly awful,” Cotton said.

    He said that the firefighters have not been able to conduct a comprehensive search of the 24-storey block of flats that went up in the flames because it is not safe for them to walk to the edges of the building.

    Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Theresa May and other politicians have paid tribute to the firefighters.

    The Fire Brigades Union, which represents most of Britain’s firefighters, earlier said the firefighters and other emergency personnel were “doing a particularly difficult job.”

    The union said, “the firefighters are witnessing brutal and tragic scenes with the professionalism we have come to expect from them.”

    NAN