One of the world's richest men, Bill Gates has said he is willing to spend billions to speed up the hunt for a coronavirus vaccine.
The Microsoft founder has already devoted millions of pounds to help fight the disease, but is now looking at ways he can help further.
And he's looking at funding everything from drugs for symptoms to research on a cure.
There's money for seven vaccine makers to allow them to build factories and another £16million available to three initiatives in the US and UK studying the effectiveness of existing drugs in treating coronavirus.
And he's not stopping there - saying he's willing to put billions behind the efforts of doctors and scientists.
"The only thing that really lets us go back completely to normal and feel good about sitting in stadiums with lots of other people is to create a vaccine and not just take care of our country but take that vaccine out to the global population," Gates said on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.
The money will be channelled through the charity he runs with his wife - The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has approved the release of 247 truckloads of relief items with a market value of N3.250 billion and a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N2billion from its warehouses.
A statement by Customs’ Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, said the approval was in compliance with the Presidential directive to provide relief items from seizures by Customs operatives.
It said the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19) necessitated various and continuous actions by Government at different levels to prevent and/or stop the spread of the virus in Nigeria. The statement also said in reaction to pains associated with the effects of the lockdown in some parts of the country, some Nigerians on social media called on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to share seized rice and other edible items to the public.
The relief items include 158 trailer load of rice estimated at 46,000 metric tonnes, 30 trucks of vegetable oil with 36,495 units of 25 litre kegs, and 3,428 kegs of palm oil. Others are 54 trucks containing 136,705 cartons of tomatoes paste, 2,951 cartons of spaghetti and 1,253 packets of noodles, 828 bales of wrappers (Ankara) and 2,300 rolls of lace fabric.
The entire load of relief materials will be conveyed in 247 trucks, the analysis shows as Customs noted that only edible items certified fit for human consumption by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will be released to the public.
Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey said Tuesday he was committing $1 billion to coronavirus relief through his philanthropic fund.
Dorsey said in a series of tweets that he would transfer his equity in his digital payments group Square to his limited liability corporation Start Small, contributing around 28 percent of his overall wealth.
“Why now? The needs are increasingly urgent, and I want to see the impact in my lifetime,” Dorsey said.
“I hope this inspires others to do something similar. Life is too short, so let’s do everything we can today to help people now.”
The Katsina State Government has lifted the suspension on Friday congregational prayer with immediate effect.
This was announced by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, in a statement made released Tuesday in Katsina.
The statement said: “Following a meeting held today between the Katsina state government, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and security agents to review some measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
“The Executive Governor has directed that the suspension of Friday prayers be lifted with immediate effect; however, the prayers will be conducted under some stipulated health and security guidelines.
“The Jumu’ah Imams should, however, avoid prolonged sermons in order to discharge their followers within the shortest period.
“People are also strongly advised to maintain social distancing and adhere strictly to all the rules and regulations provided by the health experts in fighting the contagious disease.”
Grandaughter Jade Elrick, 26, said: "We obviously weren't allowed to see her - the hospital said she was in a room which she didn't like, she didn't understand why we weren't able to visit.
"We tried to call but the nurses wouldn't even hand her the phone because of infection control.
"We were all worried sick - it was horrible.
"Because of social distancing, only my dad could be there to welcome her home."I spoke to her for the first time on Facetime when she got home and it was emotional.
"We're honestly so happy to have her back, it is such a relief.
"After she'd watched the TV when she got back she asked my dad if he'd seen the news about this virus going around and he'd told her that's what she'd had - she was none the wiser.
"But we aren't surprised she's back as she's really tough - she's had breast cancer, cancer of the womb and skin cancer and she's still going."
Gran-of-seven and great-great-gran-of-one Dorothy was taken to hospital by ambulance on March 27 after she found herself more breathless than usual and with a raging temperature.
The retired factory packer, who has also beaten three types of cancer in her life, was kept in a private isolated room for the week she was in hospital.
But the mum-of-two and great-grandma-of-seven was given the all clear and discharged from hospital last week to be reunited with her son, steelworker Ian.
Pregnant Jade said NHS staff were over the moon that Dorothy had recovered from coronavirus because of her age and health condition.The carer said not being able to visit her gran was the most heart-breaking thing of all.
Jade and her family suspect Dorothy caught the virus from carers who visit her home, where she lives alone, four times per day, and are urging people to stay indoors to protect other elderly people.
Sickening footage shows a postman wipe his nose and rub it around a doorway while a person self-isolates inside.
The clip has been doing the rounds on social media, where viewers have expressed their outrage.
Royal Mail say they have "launched and urgent investigation" after viewing the footage, which appears to have been taken on a door camera.
The clip shows a postman approach the door, put a parcel through the letter box before wiping his nose with his left hand and then wiping it on a railing, the door handle, a wall and the letter box.
There is no indication of where the incident took place but the postman appear to be dressed in the distinctive Royal Mail uniform.
Several people have shared the video on various social media websites and some have called for the police to investigate.
The Royal Mail have acknowledged the video publicly by replying to one person on Twitter, to say they were aware of the footage and were looking into it.
A spokesperson for Royal Mail told The Sun: "Royal Mail was very sorry to learn about this incident, and for any upset and distress it may have caused."We are in touch with the customer concerned and we are looking to offer them additional support.
We have launched an urgent investigation and, once complete, appropriate action will be taken.
"Royal Mail takes the health and safety of its customers very seriously. We have already made a series of adjustments to our parcel handling procedures to offer our customers greater protection during this time.
"We expect the highest standards of behaviour from our people while out on deliveries and collections at all times.
If any customer has any cause for concern, they should contact our customer service team with details so we can investigate."
Like other respiratory infections, coronavirus is spread by droplets from coughs and sneezes, with an incubation time from one to 14 days.
Kim Kardashian has been slammed after she deciding to launch a new product in the middle of the coronavirus crisis.
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, 39, took to social media this week to announce the launch of her new KKW x KRIS perfume, which is a collaborative effort with her momager Kris Jenner.
But she was branded "tone deaf" by her angry followers for trying to flog an expensive product in a time when people are losing their jobs, taking pay cuts and can't leave their houses as the deadly bug sweeps across the globe.
Kim had tweeted: "My mom @KrisJenner & I are so excited to announce the launch of KKW x KRIS, our first ever @kkwfragrance collaboration."A woody, white floral fragrance with the freshness of freesia, creamy white gardenia and tuberose at the heart - I know you will love wearing it as much as I do."
She also shared a moody-looking black and white shot of her and her mum pouting for the camera while posing with a giant perfume bottle.
And while many of her diehard fans are excited for the launch, hundreds of her 64.5million Twitter followers think she could have picked a better time to put it on sale.One tweeted: "Omg your love of money has no bounds.
Are you aware there are people in the world who HAVE NO JOBS?! People DYING? The least you could do is wait this pandemic out before shamelessly promoting yourself. Completely tone deaf."
"Not the time Kim," another posted.
A third said: "Kim I appreciate your hustle but right now is not the time to launch new products. We are in a pandemic, 7 million of us are currently unemployed..... right now worried about losing my apartment, not being able to feed my family......""Kim people are dying we're not buying nothing but food," a fourth wrote.
Another agreed: "Launching another overpriced perfume at these difficult times, nice one Kim."
Kim appeared to get the message and announced her fragrance brand will donate 20% of profits on sales from one day to Blessings in a Backpack, a US charity that is feeding children while schools are closed.
She wrote: "In support of families & children affected by the COVID-19 crisis, KKW FRAGRANCE will be donating 20% of profits from ALL sales from 04.15- 05.15 to @BlessinBackpack , an organization that provides food on the weekends for children across America who might otherwise go hungry."
There have so far been 1,358,958 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide, with 75,897 deaths - including 5,373 in the UK and 10,943 in the US.
A 30-something New Yorker seeking a “germ free” girlfriend during the coronavirus pandemic has hung dating flyers along city running paths, including in Central Park, as a more “targeted” alternative to searching online apps.
The man who prefers to only be identified as Brad, a.k.a. SteadyMan4U@gmail.com -- says in the flyer that he’s “Seeking Girlfriend for Coronavirus And Beyond” and describes himself as a “Healthy, Attractive, Well-Employed Man” who’s looking for “Germ Free Monogamy.”
“Please Be Healthy, Fit, and Clean,” the flyer goes on to say.
Brad told The Post that he’s been trying to figure out how to look for romance as a single man during the COVID-19 crisis when physical contact with strangers is discouraged.
“I was single when the lockdown began and have been wondering how and when dating would be possible again,” Brad said.
“Social distancing has made meeting new people difficult, and now we are all in masks and that is a very unapproachable situation,” Brad explained.
“This is no time for casual dating or hookups, so I am seeking a long-term and exclusive relationship.”
Brad said he thought posting his flyers on the running path would be a better way to attract women who are passionate about fitness, health and the outdoors like he is.
It’s “much more targeted and direct than using dating apps, which could be filled with women who have already fled the city, fakes, etc. Also there is much less competition this way,” Brad explained.
“I’ve received many responses from high-quality women and am looking forward to meeting some for six-foot-apart dates,” Brad said.
As for his email address, Brad said it’s funny “but also a genuine offer of stability in this strange time.”
The “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star told her mother, Kris Jenner, in a sneak peek at Thursday’s episode that she is “not even thinking” about dating since her split from Tristan Thompson, the father of her 1-year-old daughter, True.
“I have friends that are, like, ‘I want to hook you up with someone,’ [but] I just don’t care,” she said.
“I’m focused on myself and True, and that’s just what I do.”
Kardashian, 35, then added, “Who knows? Maybe I’ll never date again.”
Jenner, 64, appeared shocked by her daughter’s response and said in a confessional interview that Kardashian’s admission was “a little sad” for her because she “wants her to live her best life.”
The momager then encouraged Kardashian to freeze her eggs in case she ever wanted to birth another child.
“You need frozen eggs,” she insisted, to which Kardashian responded, “I’m not worried about it.”
The Good American co-founder expressed her frustration with being pressured to date.
“I just find it so strange that people find it such a negative when somebody wants to be single,” she said. “Trust me, if I wanted to date, I would date. I want to invest my energy in my daughter, in my self-healing, and I think that should be really empowering and it should be more rewarded rather than frowned upon.”
Kardashian and Thompson broke up in February 2019 after he was accused of cheating with Jordyn Woods, Kylie Jenner’s former BFF.
Israel's health minister has been accused of flouting his own lockdown rules after continuing to attend group prayers - despite a ban on gatherings.
Yaakov Litzman has tested positive for Covid-19, causing chaos in Israel's highest political office as leaders working to tackle the virus crisis are forced into quarantine.
Several senior officials in Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet, have been forced to go into isolation after the 71-year-old minister contracted coronavirus.
The Prime Minister had already been in isolation after one of his senior aides tested positive for Covid-19.
The Health Minister's diagnosis has reportedly forced 70-year-old Mr Netanyahu back into quarantine.
Mr Litzman is accused of continuing to attend group prayers in breach of his Ministry's own guidelines days before he was diagnosed with coronavirus, according to the Times of Israel quoting a television report.
Reports say authorities' contract tracing has suggested the senior official most likely caught the virus while grocery shopping.Mr Litzman had already been caught up in serious allegations in recent times.
He has faced accusations he pressured officials in his office to change their psychiatric reports in order to deem an alleged serial pedophile with ties to his own Gur sect as unfit for extradition to Australia.
The controversial political figure had also attracted international condemnation for his homophobic pronouncements, including calling all LGBT people 'sinners.'
Now, the minister's positive test for the virus amid the global pandemic has forced the PM, top political officials, and health chiefs leading the fight against the virus, into quarantine.According to the Times, his Health Ministry confirmed Mr Litzman had frequent contact in recent weeks with Mr Netanyahu and other senior officials before he was diagnosed with coronavirus.
A Virginia pastor who criticized the “mass hysteria” surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has died of the illness.
Landon Spradlin, of Gretna, a small town halfway between Lynchburg and Danville started to feel sick while in New Orleans, where he went to preach to the crowds gathered for Mardi Gras celebrations, according to the BBC.
A month later, Spradlin -- who was also a seasoned musician inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2016, died.
“His mission was to go into pubs, clubs and bars, play the blues and connect with musicians and just tell them that Jesus loved them,” Spradlin’s daughter Jesse Spradlin, 28, told the BBC.
Spradlin began to feel unwell while in New Orleans but initially tested negative for COVID-19.
As he battled symptoms, he shared a controversial meme on March 13, comparing coronavirus deaths to swine flu deaths.
The meme is no longer visible on his Facebook page.
The meme decried the public reaction to the pandemic as “mass hysteria” and suggested the media was using the outbreak to hurt President Trump.
In the comments, the pastor said he believes the coronavirus “is a real issue, but I believe the media is pumping out fear and doing more harm than good.”
“It will come and it will go,” he wrote, according to Patch.
The result of COVID-19 second test done for the chairman of the governing board of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Ibrahim Shetima, has returned positive.
Shetima had been in isolation at a special ward in the UCH after he tested positive for coronavirus two weeks ago.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr Toye Akinrinlola, had said the chairman manifested symptoms of the virus shortly after the last board meeting of the hospital began in Ibadan, adding that the test conducted on him revealed that he was positive for COVID-19.
On Tuesday, Akinrinlola, in another interview with punch correspondent, said Shetima would continue to receive treatment at the UCH and that a third test would be done in a few days.
He said, “As I earlier said, the chairman only attended the first day of the board meeting on Tuesday, 24th of March, 2020. It was at the meeting that he began to exhibit symptoms of COVID-19. The meeting was suspended and a test was done and result came out positive. He was placed in a special ward at the hospital for treatment.
“A repeat test, which was done to see if he was negative after a series of treatments, was conducted two days ago (Sunday) and the result still showed positive.
“He is being treated at an isolation centre at the UCH. He will continue treatment and a third test would be done at an appointed time.”
The UCH image maker, however, said Shetima was “sharp and alert.”
He added, “The chairman’s case is not severe. He is sharp and alert but we have to attain that negative status before we can consider him as fully recovered. The record we have places him around 65 years of age.”
Also at the meeting was the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof Jesse Otegbayo, who later tested positive for the virus. After days of treatment, a reconfirmation test was carried out on the CMD which came out negative on Sunday.
Akinrinnola said, “At the meeting, the chairman was sitting close to the CMD, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee and at least two other top officials of the hospital. As of today, none of these people is showing any symptom. The CMD that was found to be positive is now negative when a confirmatory test was done. Hopefuly, the chairman will be negative too when the third test is be done.”
The Lagos State Police Command has released on bail the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party in the state in the 2019 gubernatorial election, Babatunde Gbadamosi, and his wife.
The couple were released on Tuesday alongside Naira Marley, after they perfected their bail conditions.
The trio had on Monday turned themselves in at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, and were detained after the police asked them and others, who attended a birthday party organised by popular actress, Funke Akindele-Bello, to report at the SCIID.
More than 20 persons were in attendance at the party in contravention of the state government’s social distancing directive to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the release of Gbadamosi, his wife and Naira Marley stated that they would be arraigned today.
“They (Gbadamosi, his wife and Fashola) are on bail because the court did not sit today (Tuesday) and we could not keep them beyond the constitutional time given. They all slept in the cell yesterday (Monday) and they have all been granted bail and asked to report back tomorrow (Wednesday) so that they can be arraigned,” he stated.
The Ogun State government has deployed a mobile application for residents to undergo assessment on an individual basis in the event of being infected with COVID-19.
This comes a month after the state launched an updated mobile application for health workers which has been deployed to all government and private health facilities across its 20 local government areas to aid information sharing.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, confirmed the latest development in a statement on Tuesday.
She stressed that the new application – Ogun COVID-19 Assessment – was not for diagnostic purpose but to determine the risk of residents’ exposure to the disease.
Coker explained how the application works, saying responses would be monitored on the State Ministry of Health’s dashboard.
“This mobile application is an assessment tool for the individual members of the public on the basic symptoms of Coronavirus. It can be downloaded on Google play store. The App is not for diagnostic purpose.
“Responses are monitored on a dashboard at the Ministry of Health which will flag high-risk individuals as red who are promptly followed up by the State Epidemiologist,” she said.
The commissioner urged the residents to take advantage of the mobile application and assured them that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration was putting measures in place to contain the disease.
She noted that the application can be assessed through either of the following websites – https://ift.tt/34i1zju or https://ift.tt/2Vae8t1
A few hours after the inauguration of a 60-bed isolation centre for Coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, says it has admitted four patients with the virus.
Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, the LUTH Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos.
According to him, they are three adults and one child. “They are part of those already confirmed, but staying at home. Now they are under admission.
“They are stable and doing very well,” Adeyemo told NAN.
NAN recalls that the 60-bed isolation centre for COVID-19 patients was inaugurated by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 led by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health.
Prof. Chris Bode, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, had told newsmen shortly after the inauguration that “It is better for us to rise up to the occasion.
“With the help and assistance of the minister and Lagos government, we have been able to put together a block of four wards containing 60 beds altogether with enough personal protective equipment and all what we need.”
Bode said that admission would still be done through the pyramid structure and the hospital would be operating under the command of Lagos State government.
“We have a squad of 120 members of staffs, all warriors to combat this condition in LUTH.
”They have all been trained and are experts,” the chief medical director said.
Ronaldinho has been released from prison in Paraguay and placed under house arrest following his fake passport scandal.
The Brazil football legend, 40, was thrown behind bars for allegedly trying to enter the South American nation with forged documentation.
But he has now been allowed to leave prison on the condition he stays within the boundaries of the hotel he will be forced to stay in.
Ronaldinho will be placed under house arrest at the Hotel Palmaroga, in Paraguayan capital city, Asuncion.
The former Barcelona star, along with his brother, was released from prison after just 32 days of what was meant to be a six-month sentence.
Reports claim the pair were only released after paying a £1.3million bond.
They had met with Judge Gustavo Amarillo earlier on Tuesday for a sentencing review hearing.
It was there Ronaldinho and his brother were informed of their house arrest.
On March 6, the pair were held in Paraguay on suspicion of entering the country with a false passport.
Both he and his 49-year-old sibling Roberto deny entering the country with doctored documents.
The Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded the two pilots of Carveton Helicopters, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari in prison custody, for allegedly disobeying the Executive Order issued by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Coronavirus preventive measures.
The court presided over by Chief Magistrate D.D. Ihua-Maduenyi remanded the two pilots at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre till May 19, 2020 when their trial would commence.
Chief Magistrate Ihua-Maduenyi ruled that COVID-19 tests be carried out on the two pilots to ascertain their status.
The pilots were arraigned by the State Police Command.
The Prosecution Lawyer and Officer-in-charge, Legal of the Rivers State Police Command, Gladys Amadi told the court that the acts of the two pilots were capable of putting the entire state in danger of contracting coronavirus.
She urged the court to remand them in prison custody to enable the police conclude their investigation.
She noted that allowing the accused persons roam the streets would endanger others in the state.
According to her, remanding the pilots would also stop them from further violating the Executive Order.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has said 75 persons, including 28 staff of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, were receiving attention at the state isolation centre, Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin.
This followed the confirmation on Monday by the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, that wife of UITH patient, Late Muhideen Obamomo, was positive for Coronavirus.
The governor, during his live broadcast Tuesday, said: “We received official report from the NCDC of samples earlier taken to the Ibadan test centre. The test confirmed that Kwara State now has two cases of COVID-19. The first is the wife of a man who recently returned from UK”.
He said the second case was a diabetic patient who also had a travel history to the UK. “He came into the country on March 18. He has since gone into self-isolation with his wife. Following reasonable suspicion, sample was taken from him and he has now been confirmed positive."
The state is tracing more contacts and has locked down Offa to contain the spread.
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster management, and Social development yesterday disbursed N20,000 Conditional Cash Transfer to poor Nigerians in Anambra, Rivers, Kwara and Plateau states.
The Federal government has said that only one million Nigerian families whose names are on the National Social Register (NSR) would get the N20,000 palliative.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is not taking chances at all. Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis in the country, he has gone private and observing all necessary protocol to #StaySafe
