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Presidency Extends the Gradual Easing of Lockdown by 2 Weeks | #COVID19 Updates
216 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Nigeria as confirmed cases rise to 6175
Two Hundred and Sixteen new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Nigeria on Monday. According to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), 74 of the new cases were confirmed in Lagos, 33 in Kano, 19 in Oyo, 17 in Kano, 13 in Edo, 10 in Zamfara, 8 each in Ogun and Gombe, 7 each in Bauchi and Kwara, 4 in the FCT, 3 each in Kaduna and Enugu and 2 in Rivers.
The total number of cases now stands at 6175. The number of discharged patients stands at 1644 while the number of confirmed deaths is 194.
216 new cases of #COVID19;
74-Lagos
33-Katsina
19-Oyo
17-Kano
13-Edo
10-Zamfara
8-Ogun
8-Gombe
8-Borno
7-Bauchi
7-Kwara
4-FCT
3-Kaduna
3-Enugu
2-Rivers6175 cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria
Discharged: 1644
Deaths: 191 pic.twitter.com/FbcGTJ06iE— NCDC (@NCDCgov) May 18, 2020
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Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 extends gradual easing of lockdown by two weeks
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has announced the extension of the current phase of ease of the lockdown for another 2 weeks, effective from Monday 18th May to 1st June 2020.
Chairman of the task force and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who announced this during the daily briefing of the task force team in Abuja today May 18, said the time is not ripe for the Federal government to relax its containment protocols against the Covid-19 pandemic.
In his words:
The reality is that in spite of the modest progress made, Nigeria is not yet ready for full opening of the economy and tough decisions have to be taken for the good of the greater majority. Any relaxation will only portend grave danger for our populace.?
Advisedly, the current phase of eased restriction will be maintained for another two weeks during which stricter enforcement and persuasion measures will be pursued.
The two weeks extension of phase one of the eased restriction is also to enable other segments of the econmy to prepare adequately for compliance with the guidelines preparatory to opening in the coming weeks.
For the presidential task force, we share your pains but our future is in the hands of every Nigerians and future decisions will depend greatly on our compliance.
Based on the recommendations of the Presidential task force, Mr President has approved the following
1.The measures, exemptions, advisories as scopes of entities allowed to open under phase one of the ease lockdwon shall be maintained across the Federation for anothe rtwo weeks effective from Today 18th May until the 1st of June 2020.
2. Intensify efforts to tame, communicate, trace, identify and manage cases.
3. Elevating the level of community ownership of non-pharmaceutical interventions.
4.Mainatin the existing lockdon in Kano for another two weeks.
5. Imposition of precision lockdown in states or metropolitan and high burdened local governments that are reporting a rapidly increasing number of cases when the need arises. This will be complimented with the provisions of palliatives and continued re-evaluation of the impact of the interventions. and
6. Aggressive scale-up of efforts to ensure that communities are informed, engaged, and participating in the response with enhanced public awareness in high risk areas
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CBN and NNPC will take care of the accommodation and feeding of Nigerian returnees – FG
The Minister of foreign affairs Geoffrey Onyeama on Monday announced that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will take care of the hotel accommodation and feeding bills of Nigerians who were recently evacuated from countries they were stranded in.
It was reported earlier that the evacuees were directed by the federal government to pay N297,000 for their 14-day mandatory isolation. However, following the criticism the directive sparked off, Onyeama said he approached the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Group Managing Director of NNPC who both agreed to pick the bill.
He further revealed that the initial decision was taken due to the shortage of funds even though they were not happy with it.
The GMD, @NNPCgroup and Gov, @cenbank have both agreed to fund, as part of their CSR the cost of quarantine accommodation and feeding of evacuees. pic.twitter.com/2n2vOviEbK
— Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) May 18, 2020
The Hon. Minister of @FMEnvng, @DrMuhdmahmood suggested to me, to liaise with the Governor of @cenbank, Mr. Godwin #Emefiele and the GMD, @NNPCgroup, @Kyari through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding, to help fund the evacuation process.
— Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) May 18, 2020
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Chris Oyakhilome’s channel, Loveworld News sanctioned by UK agency over Coronavirus and 5G conspiracy claims
UK broadcast regulator, Ofcom has imposed a sanction on Loveworld Limited following the broadcast of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s unsubstantiated claim of 5G being the cause of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Recall that the founder of Loveworld Ministries had claimed that the outbreak of Coronavirus is part of the plan for the installation of 5G technology and the creation of one-world order. He also stated that the panic created by the disease is part of an evil scheme to vaccinate everyone against their wishes.
Hydroxychloroquine was also presented on the Christian network as a “cure” for Covid-19, without acknowledging that its effectiveness and safety as a treatment was clinically unproven, or making clear that it has potentially serious side effects.
We have sanctioned Loveworld Limited, licensee of religious channel Loveworld, for breaking broadcasting rules.
A news programme and a sermon broadcast on the channel contained potentially harmful and unsubstantiated claims about causes of and treatments for Covid-19.
— Ofcom (@Ofcom) May 18, 2020
The broadcasts linked the pandemic to 5G; said that it was the subject of a ‘global cover-up’; and presented hydroxychloroquine as a proven ‘cure’. These claims were potentially harmful and made without adequate protection.
— Ofcom (@Ofcom) May 18, 2020
There is no restriction on broadcasting controversial views which diverge from, or challenge, official authorities on public health information. However, they require adequate protection. These broadcasts risked undermining viewers’ trust in official advice…
— Ofcom (@Ofcom) May 18, 2020
…with potentially serious consequences for public health. We have directed Loveworld Limited to broadcast statements of our findings, and are considering whether to impose further sanctions.
You can read about the decision in more detail here: https://t.co/E01fH5yUTh
— Ofcom (@Ofcom) May 18, 2020
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BEIJING, CHINA – MARCH 20: Chinese President Xi Jinping attend the closing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People on March 20, 2018 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
China supports WHO’s investigation into the origin of Coronavirus
Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on the world Monday to rally behind the World Health Organization and support developing countries as he opened a WHO annual assembly after weeks of acrimony between China and the United States over a proposal to investigate the origins of COVID-19.
Xi’s speech, delivered via video at the invitation of WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, signaled a growing sense of confidence on China’s part. Xi pledged $2 billion in aid over two years to help other countries respond to the pandemic and, in a turnaround, agreed to an independent evaluation of the coronavirus response once the pandemic is over.
The virtual #WHA73 has opened. My huge thanks to
??President @s_sommaruga
??President @CyrilRamaphosa
??President Xi
??President @EmmanuelMacron
??President @moonriver365
??Chancellor Merkel
??PM @miaamormottley
??SG @antonioguterres
for supporting @WHO at this critical time. pic.twitter.com/3yzQK7iOtz— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) May 18, 2020
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Seychelles bans cruise ships through 2021 to prevent Covid-19 spread
The Republic of Seychelles is taking the bold step of banning all cruise ship tourism through the end of 2021 as a measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The East Africa island nation’s largest newspaper, the Seychelles Nation, reports that Didier Dogley, the country’s Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, made the decision. Seychelles is a popular destination for celebrities, who have enjoyed the country’s private villas and bright-blue waters over the years.
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India’s coronavirus cases surpass 100,000
India’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has confirmed that more than 100,000 people have tested positive for novel coronavirus nationwide.
The total number of confirmed cases stands at 101,139, including 3,163 deaths, according to the ministry. Some 2,404,267 tests for the virus have been carried out in the country, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.
#CoronaVirusUpdates: #COVID19 India Tracker
(As on 19th May, 2020, 08:00 AM)▶️ Confirmed cases: 101,139
▶️ Active cases: 58,802
▶️ Cured/Discharged/Migrated: 39,174
▶️ Deaths: 3,163#IndiaFightsCorona#StayHome #StaySafe @ICMRDELHIVia @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/wphED6PsET
— #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) May 19, 2020
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The United States has reported more than 21,500 new cases
At least 21,551 new coronavirus cases and 785 COVID-19-related deaths were reported in the United States on Monday, according to John Hopkins University coronavirus tracker. That brings the total number of infections reported in the country to at least 1,508,308, including at least 90,347 fatalities.
The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.
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