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7 World Updates About COVID-19 Today
Neil Ferguson, UK Coronavirus Adviser Resigns after Breaking Lockdown Rule
Neil Ferguson, the leading epidemiologist who advised the UK government on the coronavirus response, resigned on Tuesday after the Daily Telegraph reported he broke lockdown rules after receiving visits from his partner at his home. In a statement on Tuesday, he said he was resigning his post on the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), over an “error of judgment”.
The Daily Telegraph revealed that his partner had crossed London from her family home to visit him on at least two occasions since lockdown measures were imposed, on 30 March and 8 April. The visits clearly contravene the government’s “stay at home, save lives” message, which urges people to remain within their family groups and not mix with members of other households.
Ferguson said:
I accept I made an error of judgment and took the wrong course of action. I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in Sage. I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus, and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.
I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us.
148 new cases of coronavirus cases have been recorded in Nigeria on Tuesday, May 5.
According to Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), out of the 148 new cases of COVID-19, 43 were recorded in Lagos, 32 in Kano, 14 in Zamfara, 10 in FCT, 9 in Katsina, 7 in Taraba, 6. in Borno, 6 in Ogun, 5 in Oyo, 3 in Edo, 3 in Kaduna, 3 in Bauchi, 2 in Adamawa, 2 in Gombe, 1 in Plateau, 1 in Sokoto, and 1 in Kebbi State.
Nigeria now has 2950 confirmed cases of COVID-19. 481 patients have been discharged from various isolation centres across the country, while 98 deaths have been recorded.
A breakdown of cases by state can be found via https://t.co/Z5x7UFXpXd pic.twitter.com/Khh8BYOLVx
— NCDC (@NCDCgov) May 5, 2020
Lagos State has again given 60 COVID-19 survivors the green light
The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu shared on Tuesday night, shared that 60 COVID-19 survivors have been discharged from Lagos State’s isolation facilities having tested negative for the virus twice. He also shared that the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases that have been successfully managed and discharged in Lagos is now 321.
The statement reads:
Today, we discharged 60 COVID-19 Lagos patients; 40 males and 20 females, from our Yaba, Eti-Osa and Ibeju-Lekki isolation facilities to reunite with their families and society. The patients, 31 from the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, 19 from the Ibeju-Lekki and 10 from Eti-Osa Isolation Centres were discharged having fully recovered and tested negative in two consecutive readings.
With this, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases that have been successfully managed and discharged in Lagos is now 321. The high number of discharged patients should not be an avenue for us to shun all precautionary measures to avoiding the transmission and spread of the virus.
It is important that we do the right things and act responsibly at this time. Easing the lockdown is not a reason for us to rush out and eschew all safety guidelines. Social distancing should be strictly adhered to.
If you have no reason to be out, please stay home, stay safe and save lives.
And if you must go out, please Mask Up.
NTA manager, Ayinde Soaga, tests positive for COVID-19
The general manager of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Katsina, Ayinde Soaga has tested positive for coronavirus.
In a statement, the family issued on Tuesday, they said Soaga is in high spirits and not bedridden. The statement said Soaga volunteered himself for the test which was carried out by the NCDC.
According to The Cable, the statement reads:
The Family of Alhaji Ayinde Soaga, GM, NTA Katsina appreciates the numerous phone calls and concern raised about the report as regards his testing positive to COVID 19. We wish to confirm that he is in high spirits, not bedridden, as he personally called in the NCDC officials to carry out the test on him.
Aware that the COVID-19 is not a death sentence and believing in God for healing, we seek your prayers for speedy and divine healing which Almighty Allah gives.
The family also extended its appreciation to individuals and groups for their quick intervention and prayers.
Kwara State approves N25,000 as daily allowance for medical doctors
Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq announced that the approval of N25,000 as daily allowance for medical doctors involved in the fight against COVID-19.
The governor said varying daily allowance has also been approved for other categories health workers, and the allowance is in appreciation for their priceless sacrifice to end the pandemic in the state.
The tweet reads:
We have approved N25,000 as daily allowance for medical doctors and varying daily allowance for other categories of health workers involved in our fight against COVID-19. This is to show appreciation to health workers as it’s impossible to pay them for their priceless sacrifices.
We have approved N25,000 as daily allowance for medical doctors and varying daily allowance for other categories of health workers involved in our fight against COVID-19. This is to show appreciation to health workers as it’s impossible to pay them for their priceless sacrifices.
— Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (@RealAARahman) May 5, 2020
The UK overtakes Italy with the highest number of coronavirus related death
There is a grim milestone for the UK, which now has the highest number of coronavirus deaths in Europe, overtaking Italy, and the second-highest in the world after the US – according to Johns Hopkins University, the figure has reached 29,502.
However during the daily Downing Street press conference, British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab urged against trying to make reliable international comparisons.
“There are different ways of counting deaths… we now publish data that includes all deaths in all settings and not all countries do that. Can you reliably know that all countries are measuring in the same way? And it also depends on how good, frankly, countries are in gathering their statistics.”
Raab called the lives lost “a massive tragedy” and “something in this country, on this scale, in this way, that we’ve never seen before”.
Students in Wuhan, China are back in school
Nearly 58,000 students returned to school today in Wuhan, China, the original epicentre of the outbreak. Wuhan began lifting restrictions in early April, after more than two months of total lockdown. Not just in Wuhan, according to CNN, Hong Kong will also start sending students back to school this month. S
Some countries and regions in Europe are also beginning to resume daily life and lift restrictions as the coronavirus threat begins to subside.
Photo Credit: neil_ferguson
