Abiodun Extends Lockdown By Another One Week

Ogun State government has extended the lockdown order in the state by another one week due to increase in the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, while addressing newsmen on the activities of his administration in curbing further spread of COVID-19 pandemic, said the lockdown would be subject to review on any development as regards the virus.

Abiodun stated that members of the public would continue to enjoy the window of relaxation on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7.00 am to 5.00 pm on each day.

He said: “We appreciate the need to balance public health and safety against economic activity. Nonetheless, whilst we intensify sensitization and moral-suasion, our security agencies in Ogun State have been duly briefed and empowered to do the needful to assist the heroic efforts of health and other frontline workers to flatten the curve.

“You, the entire people of Ogun State, have not elected me to make easy decisions. And tough decisions we have to make. Now, to preserve the lives of our people, we are persuaded to extend the current modified lockdown, which has been slightly eased, for another one week alongside the current guidelines. This will be reviewed, as usual, on a weekly basis.

“We should always remember that we are the closest in proximity to Lagos, the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. It is not a matter to be taken lightly. As the number of positive cases in Lagos increases, we, in Ogun State, must be concerned about possible spill over, particularly as our people continue to travel across state lines, despite warnings and the ban on interstate travels.”

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COVID-19 Patients In Lagos Abscond Isolation Centre-Health Commissioner

Akin Abayomi, commissioner for health in Lagos, says sometimes it is difficult for the state to locate patients after their samples have been tested for the coronavirus.

According to the commissioner, such patients flee their homes and become unreachable on their mobile phone lines.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, he said this was one of the reasons the available bed spaces at the state’s isolation centres are not yet filled to capacity.

He appealed to residents to cooperate with the health workers as part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

“There is also a situation that we experience; when we test people, sometimes they find it difficult to find them. The ambulances will go into communities, people will flee their homes, and they make it difficult for us to find them,” he said.

“If you have tested positive, we expect you to cooperate with us and make yourself available so that you can be admitted and accessed.

“Our isolation facilities are really comfortable. It is not like the Ebola days; we have made a lot of improvements. Members of the executive and senior people in government have been admitted into those facilities. If I test positive, I will go to one of those facilities.”

He added that about 307 beds are unoccupied out of the 569 spaces available.

Breaking:Lagos COVID-19 Cases May Hit 120,000 By July-Health Commissioner

Akin Abayomi, Lagos state commissioner for health, says the COVID-19 cases in the state may explode to 120,000 between July and August.

He made the projection at a press conference on Friday.

The commissioner said with the current trend of COVID-19 cases, Lagos is expected to reach its peak during that period.

He said the projection is based on the government’s model, and added that a hydro-chloroquine trial is likely to start soon.

“Just a month ago, on April 7, we saw 10 cases per day. Two weeks later it was 32, then 70 cases. We are now seeing above 100 cases per day. This shows our graph is moving in a gentle incline upwards,” he said.

“We definitely have not reached the peak of our outbreak. We suspect that the peak will happen sometime in July or August and so we are preparing for the oncoming; we are increasing our capacity and strategies to deal with this situation.”

As of Friday, the state had recorded a total of 1,491 cases, but Abayomi said if not for the strategies implemented by the government, Lagos would have recorded 6,000 cases.

He added that there is a gradual increase in the number of positive cases across local government areas in the state.

• As part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus, the state government has issued guidelines for residents, which include regular washing of hands, use of sanitisers, physical distancing and compulsory use of face masks in public places.

Just In: Two COVID-19 Patients Flee Isolation Centre

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, says two COVID-19 patients in the state have absconded.

In a series of posts on Twitter On Wednesday, the governor said the patients may have returned to their residence.

He said the state is currently managing 31 active cases, while some of the patients are residents of other parts of the country.

“We have received more results from pending COVID-19 confirmation tests. The result of one suspected case came back POSITIVE, on 03/05/2020. The person is based in Ibadan,” Makinde said.

“The results of five suspected cases came back POSITIVE on 04/05/2020. Four of these five cases are immigrants and the last person is an Oyo State resident. The results of five suspected cases came back POSITIVE on 05/05/2020. Four of these five cases are travellers from the Northern part of Nigeria and the last one is an Oyo State resident.

“Of the 33 active cases being managed by the state, two have absconded, possibly to their permanent places of residence. This brings the number of active cases in Oyo State to 31.

“Ten cases are self-isolating while twenty-one cases are being managed in the isolation centres in Oyo State; one at the University College Hospital, Ibadan & twenty in Olodo. Nineteen of these twenty cases at Olodo are asymptomatic & the last person has anosmia (loss of smell).

“A total of 975 samples have so far, been collected and are being processed. Please call the Emergency Operations Centre if you find travellers from other states arriving in your neighbourhood.”

Oyo has recorded a total number of 44 cases of COVID-19 so far, while some of the patients who recovered have been discharged.

34 Doctors Test Positive To Coronavirus In Kano

The Kano state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says 34 doctors have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state.

Sanusi Bala, the Kano NMA chairman, confirmed the development to NAN on Tuesday, adding that one of the cases has died.

Bala explained that many of the victims were doctors working at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and private clinics in the state.

According to him, many of them were infected through normal clinical routines while attending to unsuspected COVID-19 cases.

He emphasised the role of the association to ensure protection of its members and appealed to authorities to provide more protection for doctors through procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs).

Meanwhile, Hauwa Muhammed, spokesperson for AKTH, told NAN that the hospital had since procured and distributed PPEs to frontline workers.

She said the hospital management had ordered all consultants and heads of department to train their staff on proper use of the PPEs.

As of May 4, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had confirmed 365 COVID-19 cases in Kano, which has the second highest number in Nigeria.

The state confirmed its index case on April 11, 2020.

Veteran Journalist Ayinde Soaga Tests Positive To Coronavirus

Veteran Broadcaster  and General Manager of the Nigerian Television Authority(NTA) Ayinde Soaga has tested postive to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Katsina State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), which disclosed this on Tuesday, expressed concern over the report as Soaga is a member of the union.

In a statement released to the newsmen by the Chairman of the union, Tukur Dan-Ali, on Tuesday the union sympathised with Mr Soaga, his family, the NTA chapel of NUJ as well as the entire journalists in the state over the development.

“We hereby remind our members in Katsina State to be cautious and continue to take all precautionary measures during coverage of events and while delivering their services everywhere as Journalists.

“This, of course indicated the fact that journalists are exposed to danger in this hard period of spread of coronavirus pandemic everywhere in Nigeria particularly in Katsina.

The NUJ strongly believes that Soaga contracted the coronavirus as a result of his day-to-day service as a journalist and head of NTA Katsina.

“We equally observed that there was no time in the recent history of Katsina State that the media houses in Katsina and their workers needed support from government and non-governmental organisations than now.

“While wishing Alhaji Ayinde Soaga quick and happy recovery, we also hope that staff of NTA Katsina, family, friends and all others will give necessary support to the health workers if and when the need arises.”

Soaga the General manager of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Katsina, Ayinde Soaga, spoke  from the isolation centre in Katsina this evening.

He expressed high hopes of his recovery and appreciate all friends and colleagues who has called to ask after his condition.

He is presently undergoing treatment though no symptoms whatsoever.

Soaga is a popular broadcaster who had worked at the Ogun State Television and the NTA headquarters as a newscaster before he became the general manager of the NTA Katsina.

Madagascar's Drug Not Scientifically Tested For COVID-19-WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday, cautioned against the use of Madagascar's drug says it has not been scientifically tested as a cure for the coronavirus pandemic.

The medicinal plants such as Artemisia annua, which have been touted as possible treatments for COVID-19.

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The international health agency, in a statement, said while it supports scientifically proven traditional medicine, there is still a need to test for the efficacy and side effects of the newly touted drug.

The new herbal drug received global attention after Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, announced that his country had gotten a cure for COVID-19.

The herbal mix has not been scientifically tested yet, but many African countries have announced placing orders for it.

Mr Rajoelina, at the official launch of the herbal mix, “Baptised Covid-Organics”, said the tonic is derived from artemisia – a plant with proven efficacy in treating malaria – as well as other indigenous herbs.

It was developed by the Madagascar Institute of Applied Research (IMRA) but has not been tested internationally.

“This herbal tea gives results in seven days,” he said.

Race for a cure

While the race to find a potential cure for the virus has been intensified globally, WHO African region said there is still a need to establish the efficacy of herbal drugs through clinical trials.

The organisation said it welcomes innovations around the world, including repurposing drugs, traditional medicines and developing new therapies in the search for potential treatments for COVID-19.

“WHO recognizes that traditional, complementary and alternative medicine has many benefits and Africa has a long history of traditional medicine and practitioners that play an important role in providing care to populations,” it said.

“Medicinal plants, such as Artemisia annua, are being considered as possible treatments for COVID-19 and should be tested for efficacy and adverse side effects,” it added.

According to the statement, even though therapies are derived from traditional practice, it is critical to establish the efficacy and safety.

Support for countries

The international health agency, in the statement, said it will continue to support countries as they explore the role of traditional health practitioners, especially in prevention, control, and early detection of the virus, as well as case referral to health facilities.

“Over the past two decades, WHO has been working with countries to ensure safe and effective traditional medicine development in Africa by providing financial resources and technical support.”

It said WHO has supported clinical trials, leading 14 countries to issue marketing authorisation for 89 traditional medicine products which have met international and national requirements for registration.

“Of these, 43 have been included in national essential medicines lists. These products are now part of the arsenal to treat patients with a wide range of diseases including malaria, opportunistic infections related to HIV, diabetes, sickle cell disease and hypertension.”

“Almost all countries in the WHO African region have national traditional medicine policies, following support from WHO.”

WHO warns that as efforts are under way to find a treatment for COVID-19, caution must be taken against misinformation, especially on social media, about the effectiveness of certain remedies.

It said many plants and substances are being proposed without the minimum requirements and evidence of quality, safety and efficacy.

The organisation said it welcomes every opportunity to collaborate with countries and researchers to develop new therapies and encourages collaboration for the development of effective and safe therapies for Africa and the world.

Earlier approval of traditional medicine

The statement said in 2000, at the Fiftieth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, African governments, through their Ministers of Health, adopted a resolution urging Member States to produce evidence on the safety, efficacy and quality of traditional medicine.

At that meeting, Countries had agreed to undertake relevant research and require national medicines regulatory agencies to approve medicines.

The approved medicines will be in line with international standards, which include the product following a strict research protocol and undergoing tests and clinical trials.

“These studies normally involve hundreds of people under the monitoring of the national regulatory authorities and may take quite a few months in an expedited process,” the statement said.

• The organisation, thereafter, said it is working with research institutions to select traditional medicine products which can be investigated for clinical efficacy and safety for COVID-19 treatment.