Good evening! Welcome to our daily session on TNG Covid-19 Watch where we update you on happenings around the world. Emman Ovuakporie, Regional Editor, TNG.
Another Governor, Nasir el-Rufai barely one week after his Bauchi counterpart, Governor Bala Mohammed tested positive to covid-19 has become the second state chief executive to be infected in Nigeria.
His aide revealed this via his Twitter handle late evening on Saturday. TNG crew wishes him a quick recovery.
Other Nigerians who test positive in the last 24 hours include the NIS boss, Babatunde Babandede, University of Ibadan College of Medicine, Prof. Ezekiel Olapade-Olaopa and Prof. Obafunke Denloye, have tested positive for Coronavirus.
Global cases hit over 500,000
With over 40 African countries currently battling with confirmed COVID-19 cases, South Africa tops the chart of the deadly virus within the continent as shown in data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Newsmen report that the John Hopkins University tally indicates that South Africa holds the top spot in African countries with 927 cases, surpassing Egypt which previously had the highest number of cases.
As at the time of filing this report on Friday, Egypt has a total number of 495 in confirmed cases followed by 367 cases in Algeria.
Also figures released by worldometers.info on fatalities indicate that Algeria currently has the highest number of deaths with 25 followed closely by Egypt with 24 deaths while South Africa has recorded zero deaths.
The worldometers.info tally shows that Egypt has the highest number of recovered cases with 102, with Algeria and South Africa recording 29 and 12 recovered cases respectively.
Other countries with over 100 confirmed cases as indicated by John Hopkins University and worldometers.info include Morocco with 275 infected persons, Tunisia 197, Burkina Faso 152, Ghana 132 and Senegal recording 105 in infected persons.
Country with least number of confirmed cases within the continent is Libya with only one infected person, while Somalia and Guinea Bissau have two recorded cases each.
UN begs rich countries to assist Africa
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres fears “millions and millions” of coronavirus cases in Africa, where the youth will not be spared.
He wants wealthy countries to help the developing world, for their own sake.
This is coming barely 48hours after the UN had cautioned Nigeria to do everything within her rich to curb the spread before it’s too late.
Ekiti declares dusk to Dawn curfew
The Governor of Ekiti state Dr Kayode Fayemi has declared a dusk to dawn curfew for fourteen days which implies a total shut down of the state
Fayemi in a statewide broadcast titled “We Must Do More To Prevent An Outbreak In Ekiti State” explained that the shut down was imperative to keep Ekiti people safe noting that the state does not have the resources to fight the scourge and could not afford a public health crisis.
He explained that the purpose of the curfew was to impose restrictions on the movement of persons and goods within Ekiti State for an initial period of fourteen days and to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in Ekiti State.
States that have shut down in Nigeria in the last three days include: Rivers, Kogi, Delta, Bayelsa and Edo.
Covid-19 is taking too much from us – WHO DG
In a state-wide telecast, the Director General of World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus in an emotionally laced voice said the world is taking too much from us as nobody is spared.
He said even his daughter has stopped going to school as she has to take her lessons online.
‘During this difficult times it’s important to look after your physical and mental health, play music and take a walk and maintain a distance from others” the WHO DG emphasised.
Boris also warns Britons
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged Britons to stay home and outlined stricter measures yet to come in the fight against the coronavirus.
“It’s important for me to level with you – we know things will get worse before they get better,” Johnson wrote in a letter issued by Downing Street.