COVID-19 Nigeria Update Today
Good day, here is the COVID-19 update for your reading pleasure today, Friday, April 10, 2020.
Nigeria now has 288 cases
There is an addition of fourteen new Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Nigeria at the moment. This brings the total cases recorded so far to 288. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 13 were in Lagos and 1 in Delta State. The government agency further revealed that fifty-one people have been discharged and recorded seven deaths.
Lagos which is the epicenter of the virus in Nigeria now has 158 cases, followed by FCT- 54; Osun- 20; Edo- 12; Oyo- 11; Bauchi- 6; Akwa Ibom- 5; Ogun- 4; Kaduna- 5; Enugu- 2; Ekiti- 2; Rivers-2; Kwara- 2; Delta- 2; Benue- 1; Ondo- 1; and Katsina-1.
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From all the cases, Lagos has discharged 39, followed by FCT with seven. Ogun state has also discharged two while Oyo, Ekiti , Bauchi, Rivers, Osun states have also discharged one patient each. The eight deaths recorded so far came from Lagos with three, two in FCT, one in Katsina, Edo, and Delta states respectively.
1,000 Nigerians want to come home from US others
Due to the rising case of the pandemic other about 1,000 Nigerians based in the US and Europe want to return home.
They have applied to the Federal Government to facilitate their return to the country and they have been given two conditions; which is that they must undergo a compulsory COVID-19 test in their host countries before leaving and subject themselves to a 14-day quarantine on arrival. This is in line with the guidelines of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The federal government also said that they will bear all expenses of the trip.
It was gathered that the chairperson of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has been collating the requests.
According to the available records, 200 of the 1,000 applicants are those in the US; the present epicentre of COVID-19.
A top source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “So far, over 1,000 Nigerians have shown interest to be evacuated. The Federal Government has opened up talks with the relevant authorities and embassies.
“Some logistics are being worked out on how to airlifts the affected Nigerians. This administration is committed to the welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad.
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“But as for those returning, they have to meet two criteria in line with the protocol of NCDC. They will undergo COVID-19 test before leaving their host countries and compulsory 14-day isolation when they arrive in Nigeria.
No vaccine approved yet for clinical trials,
Meanwhile, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said that it has not approved any vaccine for clinical trials for COVID-19 in the country.
On the speculations that clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccine will soon begin in African countries, including Nigeria, the agency said that before any clinical trial begins in the country, it must have been conducted in different countries, which may not happen before one year to eighteen months.
Davido reacts to burnt AGF office
Popular Nigerian music artiste, David Adeleke AKA Davido has tasked the Federal Government to ensure accountability on the donated funds following the fire incident that razed the Accountant-General of the Federation office.
The office is where capital releases to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government are made.
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Reacting to the incident, wrote on his Instagram page: He wrote, “Make dem return our money ooo… which one be say office don burn…”
Writing further in response to a tweet, Davido replied a Twitter user, who noted that his father’s donation has been embezzled, saying, “Nothing to him… but must account for each kobo.”
Davido’s father. Deji Adeleke, had during the week donated N500m to the federal government as Nigeria battles to curb the spread of coronavirus.
