News
Burna Boy will be Performing at the “One World: Together At Home” Concert | Check out Other Updates
Global Citizen and the World Health Organization (WHO), together with several celebrities, are hosting a special concert just for you.
The event, tagged One World: Together At Home, will kick off today, Saturday, with the aim of celebrating and supporting healthcare workers, and will feature real experiences from doctors, nurses and families around the world.
The event will feature Burna Boy, Idris and Sabrina Elba, Chris Martin, David Beckham, John Legend, and lots more, while Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert will host the event.
SAVE THE DATE: 18 APRIL 2020
One World: #TogetherAtHome is a historic, global broadcast to support the fight against #COVID19.
Watch here @WHO ? https://t.co/OKTI6rJRMg pic.twitter.com/TlwiOgiE5I
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 17, 2020
Coalition Against COVID-19 (CA COVID-19) has put together a total donation of ₦25b
Nigeria’s Coalition Against COVID-19 (CA COVID-19) has put together a total donation of ₦25b. On Friday, the Central Bank of Nigeria spokesman, Isaac Okorafor, in a statement, said the coalition “conveys its gratitude to all the institutions and individuals that have generously donated to this fund”, Channels News reports.
He urged others to “consider contributing to this national solidarity to provide not only medical equipment and materials but also to render urgently needed palliatives to the poor and vulnerable segments of our society.”
The CBN spokesman, acting as a voice for the coalition, restated “our commitment to full disclosure and accountability for all donations made.”
Individuals and companies who’ve donated include, Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu (Bua Sugar), Segun Agbaje (GT Bank), Tony Elumelu (UBA), Oba Otudeko (First Bank of Nigeria), Jim Ovia (Zenith bank), Herbert Wigwe (Access Bank), Femi Otedola (Amperion Power), Raj Gupta (African Steel Mills), Modupe and Folorunsho Alakija (Famfa Oil), Mike Adenuga (Mike Adenuga Foundation), NDIC, John Coumantatous (Flour Mills) and MTN Nigeria.
Donations To Nigeria’s COVID-19 Relief Fund Top N25bnhttps://t.co/7nxJ9wbtzA pic.twitter.com/QN0XMfH4t3
— Channels Television (@channelstv) April 18, 2020
Confirmed cases in Nigeria rise to 493
Lagos State has recorded 32 new coronavirus cases. This brings the total number of infections in the state to 283 and the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Nigeria to 493 after 51 new infections were recorded on Friday.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) made this known on Twitter. While a total of 159 patients have been discharged, four new coronavirus related deaths were recorded, bringing the number of deaths to 17.
Fifty-one new cases of #COVID19 have been reported;
32 in Lagos
6 in Kano
5 in Kwara
2 in FCT
2 in Oyo
2 in Katsina
1 in Ogun
1 in EkitiAs at 10:10 pm 17th April there are 493 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria.
Discharged: 159
Deaths: 17#TakeResponsibility pic.twitter.com/PKWwUsJVBP— NCDC (@NCDCgov) April 17, 2020
The number of COVID-19 cases on the African continent rise to 18,000, with over 1,000 deaths.
According to tallies by the John Hopkins University, Africa’s coronavirus deaths have surpassed the 1,000 mark. Africa has recorded 1,002 deaths.
The country with the highest number of fatalities is Algeria with 364 victims. Egypt, despite being the continent’s most impacted in terms of infections, has recorded 205 deaths as against Morocco’s 135. Two African countries remain uninfected till date, they are Comoros and Lesotho.
Donald Trump implements a $19 billion relief program for farmers and ranchers
On Friday, President Donald Trump announced a $19 billion financial rescue package to help the agriculture industry weather the staggering economic downturn sparked by measures to contain the coronavirus.
Trump said during a press conference that the government “will be implementing a $19 billion relief program for our great farmers and ranchers as they cope with the fallout of the global pandemic”. The program will include direct payments to farmers, ranchers and producers who Trump said have experienced “unprecedented losses during this pandemic.”
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said US farmers have been hit hard by a sharp shift in demand, as schools and restaurants close and more Americans eat at home.
.@SecretarySonny and @USDA will be implementing a $19 billion relief program for our great farmers and ranchers! pic.twitter.com/w1TZDOnNMn
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 17, 2020
Ogun State relaxes presidential lockdown order
On Friday evening, Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, announced plans to relax the presidential lockdown order in the state “to allow residents participate in essential activities including businesses, getting food items and other basic supplies”, adding that the installation of the first state fully-funded molecular laboratory at the OOUTH, Sagamu, is in progress.
The governor made the announcement via his personal Twitter account. He stated that residents of the state will be allowed to move within the state on Monday, April 20, Wednesday, April 22 and Friday, April 24, between the hours of 7 AM and 2 PM on each of the days.
Read the statement below:
Good people of Ogun State, below are highlights of my press briefing on COVID-19, with updates on the lockdown extension and our response strategies and facilities:
Having reviewed the 14-day lockdown extension which begins midnight, we have decided that, even as the lockdown is a necessary sacrifice we must make, we will continue to allow for relaxation windows amidst caution, to allow residents essential activities including businesses, getting food items and other basic supplies.
The windows will be observed between 7am (morning) and 2pm (afternoon) on Monday, 20th April, 2020, Wednesday, 22nd and Friday, 24th. This translates to a total lockdown tomorrow, Saturday 18th; Sunday, 19th; Tuesday, 21st; and Thursday, 23rd.
We will continue to review modalities of the lockdown for the following week, as developments permit, while our borders remain shut except to essential services.
However, I am hopeful that a brighter future lies ahead, as we have discharged 6 patients out of 9 total confirmed cases. The 3 active cases are currently under close observation by health personnel in one of our Isolation Centres.
This record of ours defies the global average, which is 1 positive case to 3 transmitted cases, since in our case, what we have ensured is 1 positive case to 1 transmitted case.
Another strong signal of hope is our recent installation of the first State-fully funded molecular laboratory at the OOUTH, Sagamu, as well as a donated laboratory which will be installed next week, and become operational following NCDC accreditation.
These come alongside our deployment of drive-through testing facilities to border communities.
We are set to begin the second phase of our stimulus package distribution, which is informed by lessons learnt from the first phase, mainly on logistics.
All eventual five phases will ultimately reach 500,000 households of the poor, vulnerable and elderly.
Two sets of people who have been taken by the insensitive need to exploit this global health crisis are: criminal elements, and peddlers of fake news and misleading stories.
I can assure these exploiters that we will not rest until they face the wrath of the law. Security agencies are on high alert to curb these two callous acts.
I urge everyone to continue to stay at home, and if we must go out during the windows, let’s continue to maintain distancing and hygiene measures.
I am confident that our compliance to directives, advisories and measures will encourage the numerous teams and individuals who have contributed to this cause, including our Medical Team, the State COVID-19 Task Force, security agencies, and the private sector.
Our administration remains focused on the wellbeing of the people, and we will do all that is humanly possible and scientifically expedient in our fight against COVID-19.
Good people of Ogun State, below are highlights of my press briefing on COVID-19, with updates on the lockdown extension and our response strategies and facilities: pic.twitter.com/NtQPkodgBZ
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 17, 2020
… getting food items and other basic supplies.
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 17, 2020
We will continue to review modalities of the lockdown for the following week, as developments permit, while our borders remain shut except to essential services.
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 17, 2020
This record of ours defies the global average, which is 1 positive case to 3 transmitted cases, since in our case, what we have ensured is 1 positive case to 1 transmitted case.
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 17, 2020
These come alongside our deployment of drive-through testing facilities to border communities.
We are set to begin the second phase of our stimulus package distribution, which is informed by lessons learnt from the first phase, mainly on logistics.
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 17, 2020
I can assure these exploiters that we will not rest until they face the wrath of the law. Security agencies are on high alert to curb these two callous acts.
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 17, 2020
I am confident that our compliance to directives, advisories and measures will encourage the numerous teams and individuals who have contributed to this cause, including our Medical Team, the State COVID-19 Task Force, security agencies, and the private sector.
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 17, 2020
Our administration remains focused on the wellbeing of the people, and we will do all that is humanly possible and scientifically expedient in our fight against COVID-19.#COVID19 #BuildingOurFutureTogether
— Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR (@dabiodunMFR) April 17, 2020
