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Tag: Lagos State

  • BREAKING: Lagos confirms another COVID-19 related death

    BREAKING: Lagos confirms another COVID-19 related death

    The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has announced another COVID-19 related death, involving a 25-year-old male patient.

    Abayomi, through his Twitter handle on Thursday, said the deceased at the time of admission at the state isolation facility was in a state of severe breathlessness.

    “We regret to announce additional #COVID19 related death involving a 25-year-old male, who at the time of admission, was in a state of severe breathlessness.

    “Total number of #COVID19 related deaths in Lagos is now 20,” he said.

    The commissioner added that 87 new cases of COVID-19 infection was confirmed in Lagos as at April 29, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Lagos to 947.

    “The good news is that 49 additional #COVID19 survivors have been discharged following their full recovery.

    “The total number of discharged patients in Lagos now stands at 187,” he said.

    Abayomi advised residents to remain committed to observing necessary precautionary measures to stop COVID-19 infection.

    He urged residents to be vigilant and report any concern about COVID-19 infection in their communities.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lagos still remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s COVID-19 infection, with 722 active COVID-19 cases.

  • COVID-19: Lagos begins ”controlled easing” of lockdown, says schools, religious centres remain closed

    COVID-19: Lagos begins ”controlled easing” of lockdown, says schools, religious centres remain closed

    The Lagos State Government says schools and religious centres will remain closed as it begins a ”Controlled Easing Phase” of COVID-19 lockdown on May 4.

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said this on Wednesday at the Lagos House, Marina, while addressing newsmen on the update of the management of COVID-19 in the state.

    Sanwo-Olu said that all open markets and stores would be allowed to open daily from 9a.m. till 3p.m. on selected days.

    He said that everyone attending these markets and stores would be mandated to observe precautionary measures of social distancing and very high level of personal and hand hygiene.

    According to him, malls will be allowed to open with the proviso that stores in the malls maintain a 60 per cent occupancy capacity within the stores; while also ensuring that a 2-meter social distancing is maintained between every person and the next in the store.

    He added that hand sanitisers and/or wash basins must be provided at all entry points, and temperature checks must be carried out.

    The governor said that eateries and restaurants would be allowed to open daily between 9a.m. and 3p.m., but only take-out and delivery services would be permitted, as in-dining services were not allowed.

    He said that all food handlers and staff of eateries were expected to have gone through exhaustive health checks and must also practise high levels of personal and hand hygiene in serving members of the public.

    Sanwo-Olu said that food handlers were also mandated to wear masks and hand gloves at all times; particularly during the preparation and serving of the food.

    He said that hand sanitisers and/or wash basins must be provided at all entry points, and temperature checks must be carried out periodically throughout the period they were open for business.

    According to him, all medical establishments will continue to open, and maintain a high index of suspicion for COVID-19 and all suspected cases of COVID-19 must be immediately reported to the State Helpline: 08000-267662.

    ”All schools and institutions at primary, secondary and tertiary levels remain physically closed. Students are expected to continue learning on the alternative online and media channels announced by the various institutions of learning.

    ”All places of worship (both formal and informal) are to remain closed from any form of congregational services or assemblage, until further notice.

    ”Our Muslim brothers and sisters taking part in the Ramadan fast must observe all meals and prayers within their homes.

    ”In line with the pronouncement of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), no gatherings are allowed for Iftar, Suhur, and Tarawih; and the conduct of Tafsir is also suspended.

    ”Since the process of ablution involves touching the face, it is essential to ensure that the hands are clean. Ablution should, therefore, be preceded by the washing of hands with soap,” he said.

    Sanwo-Olu added that the capacity of public transportation system to reduce the risk of contagion would also be strengthened by a number of proactive measures to be taken.

    He said that all commuters were mandated to wear face masks at all times, sanitise with alcohol-based sanitiser or wash their hands with soap and running water before and after every trip.

    According to him, all transport operators/companies are expected to sanitise their vehicles, parks and garages regularly and continuously at least before and after every trip.

    He added that they were expected to have at the entrance of the respective parks hand washing equipment with running water; and deploy temperature readers to test every passenger before boarding.

    ”All operators are expected to have alcohol-based sanitisers in their vehicles for drivers, conductors and passengers.

    ”All motor parks and garages must avoid overcrowding. Social distancing is required for passengers queuing up to board buses.

    ”All buses should be loaded to a maximum of 60 per cent of full capacity. This means that if a bus normally takes 10 people at full capacity, during this period, no more than 6 persons can be allowed to board at any point in time.

    ”No standing allowed in all BRT and LBSL bus operations. All air- conditioning systems in public transport systems must be switched off.

    ”All Operators, i.e. drivers and conductors, are mandated to always wear face masks and hand gloves while in transit and dispose of same appropriately.

    ”All of these guidelines as outlined – face masks, regular disinfection, hand-washing equipment, temperature checks, and 60 per cent maximum capacity – shall equally apply to Water Transport Operations.

    ”In addition, from May 4, 2020, Water Transport Operations will be restricted to the period between 6a.m. and 6p.m. daily, until further notice,” he said.

    Sanwo-Olu said that commercial motoyrcycles, popularly known as Okadas, were to suspend their operations statewide, except for those motorcycles used for courier and logistics purposes.

    He said that tricycles (Kekes) operating in unrestricted areas, must not carry more than two passengers per trip and must ensure appropriate social distancing was maintained between passengers.

    The governor said that all activities within the entertainment industry, including beer parlours, hotels, casino, among others, would also remain closed until further notice.

    He said that swimming pools, gyms, barber shops, spas, beauty salons, and all public parks, including those in private and residential estates, would continue to remain closed for another two weeks in the instance.

    According to him, the government will review and advise on the permissible opening date for these establishments.

    He called on residents associations to enjoin their members, as well as operators of businesses within their association to adhere to these directives.

  • NNPC fueling station inferno claims 30 vehicles

    NNPC fueling station inferno claims 30 vehicles

    The Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, on Tuesday said the fire outbreak at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) fueling station, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, has destroyed 30 vehicles.

    The filling station is located at Yaya Abatan bus Stop, off College Road, Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    Oke-Osanyintolu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

    According to him, a tanker with 33,000 litres of diesel catches fire while discharging its contents into an underground tank at the NNPC filling station.

    “The agency officials received a distress call at about 1 p.m. on April 27, concerning a fire outbreak at NNPC filling station located at Yaya Abatan bus stop, off College Road.

    “The agency’s response team personally coordinated by myself, other emergency responders jointly fought and subsequently extinguished the flames at about 4.49 p.m.

    “No casualty nor fatality was recorded, about 30 vehicles were affected. The combined effort of the emergency responders led to the salvage of properties and buildings nearby,” he said.

    Oke-Osanyintolu said present during the recovery operations were the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Tayo Bamgbose-Martins; Chairman Ifako Local Government Council, Apostle Toba Oke; Federal and Lagos State Fire Services as well as National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    He said that other security agencies present were Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    Oke-Osanyintolu said that four recommendations were provided to prevent future fire outbreaks such as continuous sensitisation and advocacy on fire safety measures by relevant government agencies.

    Others, he said, were encouraging installation of fire extinguishers at both public and private domains, and fire hydrant at filling stations.

    Also, ensuring that onlookers stay safe by keeping away from the flames and observe social distancing while freeing the responders to carry out their work unhindered.

    In a related development, he said a suspected leaked Pipeline disgorged petrol (PMS) at Peace Estate, Iyana Odo, Oripako Stream Inward Baruwa, Ipaja.

    The LASEMA director-general said that the agency’s Response Team received a distress call in respect of a suspected PMS leakage from a pipeline at Iyana odo at about 11.00 hours on Monday.

    He said that when its response team got to the scene, it was discovered that there was a Pete leakage flowing downstream towards Iyana Odo, Ori Pako axis from an unidentifiable source point.

    Oke-Osanyintolu said that the actual point source of pollution could not be ascertained owing to the nature of the area being a wetland with flowing streams and pipelines buried underneath.

    He said that the residents were subsequently sensitised and advised to ensure they do not carry out any activity that would ignite fire.

    Oke-Osanyintolu said that the concentration of the leaked petrol had reduced likely due to vaporisation and rapid movement of water down stream, resulting in no imminent hazard while the immediate threat level ascertained had been contained.

    He, however, said that SEPA and NNPC officials had been notified for necessary action by locating the point source of pollution to mitigate against future disaster in the community and contamination of the flora and fauna.

  • JUST IN: Another 13 Nigerian returnees from Togo arrive Seme border amid COVID-19 fears

    JUST IN: Another 13 Nigerian returnees from Togo arrive Seme border amid COVID-19 fears

    As the number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to rise in the country, another batch of 13 Nigerian returnees from Togo Republic have arrived at Seme Border Post in Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the 13 Nigerian returnees from Togo arrived at Seme Border Post in Lagos State in a Toyota Coaster bus with Togolese registration number TG 5923 A in the early hours of Sunday.

    According to NAN, the Nigerian returnees were resident in Togo but decided to return to their country following the outbreak of the COVID-19.

    “The Nigerians were screened with the infrared thermometer by our officials when they arrived today. We have called Lagos State Ministry of Health and they have promised to come and evacuate them to the quarantine facility in Badagry,” a Port Health official told NAN at Seme border.

    The arrival of 13 returnees from Togo on Sunday brings to 103 the total number of Nigerians that arrived through Seme border post after the border closure on March 21.

    Recall that 67 Nigerians resident in Ivory Coast returned on April 8, at Seme border post in a luxurious bus with registration number Osun XA 240 EJG.

    Another batch of 23 Nigerian returnees, who came from different parts of the world and landed in Lome, Togolese capital, on Ethiopian Airlines, arrived at the Seme border on April 19 and were quarantined in Lagos.

  • Lagos Govt. partners Microsoft to train 18,000 teachers

    Lagos Govt. partners Microsoft to train 18,000 teachers

    The Lagos State Ministry of Education is to collaborate with ATB Yechsoft Solutions (Microsoft Company) to train 18,000 teachers to boost Secondary Schools in digital literacy training.

    Mr Kayode Suton, the Ministry Public Affairs Officer, in a statement said that the teachers would receive training during the COVID-19 lockdown beginning from April 27.

    The programme is tagged ” Work- From -Home, Remote Teaching and Learning for Lagos State Secondary School.

    Suton, said that the teachers would reeive digital training, mentoring, observation, creating and sharing subject specific content, accessing interactive classes from mobile phones and devices.

    He said that the teachers would also have knowledge of diagnosing and understanding learning needs, challenges, assigning homework, give feedbacks, auto-grade quizzes/tests remotely and internal stakeholders engagement.

    The Commissioner for Eduation, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, said the training would have huge benefits on the overall technology transformation of the school system in the State.

    The Chairman, Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, (TESCOM ), Mrs Elizabeth Ariyo, said she was satisfied on the robust course content and its sustainability on the long-term as part of Microsoft Office Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR).

    Ariyo noted that the programme was easily accessible via mobile smartphones, Web browsers and robust platform for up to one million students, teachers and officials.

    She applauded the efforts of Microsoft Office through their representative, ATB Techsoft Solutions, in utilising the stay at home period to equip, train and engage secondary school teachers.

    She said that it would enhance teachers performances in discharging their duties of imparting knowledge in the younger generations through the use of technology.

    The TESCOM chariman further said it was in line with the Education and Technology Pillar in the THEMES Agenda of governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration and vision for teaching.

  • Don’t stigmatise health facilities exposed to COVID-19 cases- Lagos Govt

    Don’t stigmatise health facilities exposed to COVID-19 cases- Lagos Govt

    The Lagos State Government has urged the public to desist from stigmatising health facilities that might have been exposed to COVID19 cases in the state.

    Dr Abiola Idowu, Executive Secretary, State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), made the plea in a statement on Thursday night.

    Idowu was reacting to a list of some health facilities being circulated on the social media as purportedly exposed to COVID-19 cases in the state.

    She said that such list did not emanate from the agency, nor the state Ministry of Health, through HEFAMAA, ever issued such list.

    According to her, stigma can drive people to hide the illness to avoid discrimination, prevent people from seeking healthcare immediately and discourage them from adopting healthy behaviours.

    Idowu explained that some health facilities might inadvertently admitted or treated patients with COVID-19 without knowing.

    She said that if such happened, the facility would be temporarily closed for decontamination, while the staff would be trained on infection, prevention and control after which the facility would be safe to carry on its normal operations.

    Idowu, however, appealed to the patients infected with COVID-19 to prevent severe health problems by reporting at the government designated facility for treatment.

    She also urged all health facilities operating in Lagos to adhere strictly to the principle on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), and maintain a high degree of suspicion for COVID-19.

    The HEFAMAA executive secretary advised them to adhere strictly to the laid down protocols for COVID-19 suspicion.

    She added that IPC would help to reduce human-to-human transmission and secondary infections among close contacts and health care workers.

    Highlighting some of the critical components of the protocol, Idowu explained that each healthcare facility must have a plan and a team in place to address COVID-19 issues.

    According to her, the protocol include triaging and assigning responsibility for notification or communication with the Lagos State COVID-19 response team through the 08000CORONA (0800 026 7662) toll free line.

    She advised facilities against unauthorised admission and treatment of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

    Idowu warned that any facility caught violating the laid down protocol of operations, especially with regard to COVID-19 case, the management would be sanctioned in line with the extent provision of the law.

    The executive secretary said that only facilities approved by the state government for COVID-19 case management were expected to carry out the management of COVID-19 cases.

    She urged individuals in the state to desist from issuing panicky statements to the public on operation of health facilities.

    Idowu said that such messages was capable of causing confusion and making the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic more challenging.

    “This is the handiwork of mischief makers and fake news merchants who are bent on causing panic in the community and eroding the successes recorded in the battle against COVID-19.

    “I, therefore, urge residents to disregard the list in its entirety and rely solely on the Ministry of Health and HEFAMAA for information on the operation of health facilities and management of COVID-19 cases especially at this critical time,” she said.

  • VIRAL VIDEO: Lagos residents flock out en masse to defend against one million boys robbery gang

    VIRAL VIDEO: Lagos residents flock out en masse to defend against one million boys robbery gang

    A viral video currently trending on social media shows Lagos State residents flocking out in their numbers to defend themselves against the dreaded one million boys robbery gang.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) gathers that gist got to Mushin that the one million boys gang were robbing in Ilupeju and all the boys came out and started trekking to ilupeju to attack them.

    WATCH VIDEO BELOW:

  • Miracle: First time in Africa, LUTH delivers 68-year-old first time mother of twins [PHOTO]

    Miracle: First time in Africa, LUTH delivers 68-year-old first time mother of twins [PHOTO]

    Amid the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has successfully delivered a 68-year-old first time mother of twins.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports LUTH made this known on Sunday, saying the 68-year-old first time mother was delivered through an elective caesarean section at 37 weeks gestation on Tuesday 14th April 2020.

    According to LUTH, the primigravida (pregnant for the first time) woman was delivered of a baby boy and a baby girl following an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) conception.

    “The IVF and embryo transfer were done at an outside facility. She was thereafter referred to LUTH at early gestation and subsequently managed till term. This is the first in LUTH, Nigeria and Africa! Mother and babies are well,” said Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, Chairman, LUTH Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC).

    Miracle: First time in Africa, LUTH delivers 68-year-old first time mother of twins [PHOTO]
    Miracle: First time in Africa, LUTH delivers 68-year-old first time mother of twins

  • EXCLUSIVE: Chevron privately quarantines workers in Delta, Lagos

    Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation/CNL Joint Venture (NNPC/CNL JV), currently holds several staff in private quarantine centres in Lagos and Delta States before sending them offshore.

    Investigation by TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reveals that Chevron is using a number of hotels in the two states as quarantine centres. TNG gathered that the staffs are being quarantined at the hotels, where medics on duty take their temperatures twice daily, to ensure that none of the workers enters Escravos, operational base of Chevron, with the dreaded disease.

    The hotels where the Chevron workers are being held in quarantine are Limeridge Hotel Ikoyi, Limeridge Hotel Lekki, Marcopolo Lekki, Chevron Guest House Lekki, and Genesis Hotel Ikeja, all in Lagos, and Prodeco hotel, Wetland hotel, Cyprian hotel and Bon Hotel, all in Delta.

    TNG learnt that the quarantine is a prerequisite to be able to go to work in Escravos. The workers are expected to be quarantined in the hotels for 14 days, and if they show no sign of COVID-19, they are allowed access into Escravos, to ensure that nobody with the virus enters Escravos. That is the company strategy, which started last Friday.

    TNG reports Lagos is currently the epicentre of COVID-19 in Nigeria, presently battling with 232 confirmed cases. Delta, however, is battling with 4 confirmed cases. As at 11:20 pm 15th April, there are 407 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria. 128 have been discharged with 12 deaths recorded.

    As at 11:20 pm 15th April, the number of states with confirmed cases of COVID-19 is 19 and the federal capital territory (FCT), Abuja. As it stands, Lagos has 232 confirmed COVID-19 cases, FCT- 58, Osun- 20, Kano- 16, Edo- 15, Oyo- 11, Ogun- 9, Katsina- 7, Bauchi- 6, Kaduna- 6, Akwa Ibom- 6, Kwara- 4, Delta- 4, Ondo- 3, Enugu- 2, Ekiti- 2, Rivers-2, Niger- 2, Benue- 1 and Anambra- 1.

  • Lagos State records 7th COVID-19 death

    Lagos State records 7th COVID-19 death

    The Lagos State Government on Wednesday announced the death of another COVID-19 related patient, barely 24 hours after the sixth death was recorded.

    It also announced that 25 new cases were recorded, bringing the total confirmed cases in the state to 217.

    The State Ministry of Health made this known through its verified Twitter account.

    The ministry, however, did not give further details about the deceased sex, age, nationality and medical history.

    “#COVID-19 Lagos Update as at April 14, 2020, 25 new #COVID19 cases confirmed, bringing total confirmed cases in Lagos to 217.

    “Eight more persons; two females and six males; including one foreign national from Croatia were discharged. Total discharged now 69,” it tweeted.

    The 25 new cases recorded on April 14, was the highest number of daily infections of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Lagos, since the index case.

    Currently, Lagos has 217 confirmed cases; 136 of the cases are active, while 69 had recovered and were discharged.

    Two of the patients had been evacuated from the country, while three had been transferred to Ogun, their state of residence.