The daughter of a cabbie who died of Covid-19 believes he caught the killer disease off cash from one of his fares.
Relatives of Spencer Kurash join families across the UK to speak of their horror a death toll passed 1,000.
Cab driver Spencer, 56, died after bravely deciding to carry on ferrying people around London.
His student daughter Natasha, 18, said: “It could have been an infected passenger who handed over money. It’s just devastating.”
Spencer, a cabbie for 22 years and a Spurs season ticket holder, self-isolated when his symptoms developed after his last shift on March 18.
His wife of 19 years, Esther, tried in vain to resuscitate him when his symptoms worsened at home in Chigwell, north east London, on Wednesday and the family dialled 999.
Paramedics worked on Spencer for an hour but could not save him. RIP.
The former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido, and his wives have tested negative for coronavirus which has killed many people globally.
This was contained in a statement signed by the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria’s son, Adam Sanusi, on Sunday.
In the statement, Sanusi urged Nigerians to comply with government’s directives, adding that being infected with coronavirus was not a death sentence.
The statement read in part, “We have been inundated with calls asking about the health and safety of my father (Sanusi) especially given the number of visitors he received on arrival in Lagos, and a number of contacts he had who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or were in contact with persons who tested positive.
“As for my father, on March 25, he and all our mothers submitted samples for the COVID-19 test.
These samples were taken at home under the supervision of Dr. Alero Roberts, the second Vice Chairman of the Association of Public Health Professionals.
“On March 27, Dr. Roberts conveyed the results and all of them were negative. We hope this information will allay the concerns of all those who are asking.”
Earlier, Sanusi had barred guests from visiting him, urging them to stay safe in their homes.
The Police have arrested Pastor Augustine Yiga of Revival Church Kawala, Rubaga Division in Kampala, Uganda over false utterances and passing harmful propaganda relating to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
Yiga had said coronavirus is just a common flu.
Kampala Metropolitan Area Spokesperson Patrick Onyango confirmed his arrest in a statement released over the weekend.
This was after the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Atwine asked police to arrest and prosecute Pastor Yiga who said in a Friday broadcast that the Coronavirus pandemic is a hoax.
“The video that went viral undermines government efforts in fighting the COVID 19 pandemic and exposes the public to dangers of laxity in observing the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health on its control and prevention,” Mr Onyango said, adding that the action of Pastor Yiga promotes the spread of the COVID 19.
Pastor Yiga who is currently detained at Old Kampala Police Station, will be interviewed to “establish the motive behind the dangerous utterances.’
Onyango appealed to the public to desist from making false or alarming utterances concerning COVID 19 and disregard information not from authorized government structures.
A 25-year-old Nigeria, a student at Western Michigan University has died Saturday after contracting coronavirus.
Bassey Offiong, was expected to graduate with a chemical engineering degree in a few weeks.
His sister, Asari Offiong, said her brother told her he was turned down several times for the coronavirus test in the Kalamazoo area while living off-campus despite having fever, fatigue and shortness of breath.
"I told him to ask them to test him," Offiong said. "He said they refused to test him."
One medical staffer told him he had bronchitis, she said. She said he had no known prior health issues. Offiong said she wasn't ready to disclose the locations where he was denied a test.
He was hospitalized at Beaumont in Royal Oak and spent the last week on a ventilator in their intensive care unit. She called her "baby brother" sweet and humble and a "gentle giant." She last saw him a week ago.
"I know God has him in his presence," Offiong said. "He loved God."
He was a member of the Christ the King Miracle Church in Redford Township.
Bassey Offiong's dream was to start his own organic makeup line with Loreal that would enhance women's beauty, his sister said. He was a graduate of Renaissance High School in Detroit.
"He's just someone who thinks so big," she said.
Western Michigan University President Edward Montgomery said Offiong had "enormous potential."
"On behalf of the entire Bronco community, I want to extend my deepest condolences to his entire family, including his sister, Asari, who has been generous in communicating with us regularly," Montgomery said in a press release from university and Kalamazoo County health officials.
"They are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
University officials announced Friday that three students had tested positive for the virus.
No fewer than nine persons have been arrested in Ebonyi State for violating the state government’s ban on burials, weddings and others in the state.
The Commissioner for Police, Awosola Awotinde, stated this during a live phone-in programme on the state’s broadcast station on Sunday.
The Ebonyi State Government, in the wake of the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, placed a ban on burials, weddings and other ceremonies in the state for, 31 days.
Those arrested, according to the police boss, violated the order.
According to Awotinde, seven of the suspects were arrested in the Ezza South Local Government Area of the state, while two suspects were arrested in the Ikwo Local Government Area of the state.
The commissioner, said, “Anyone who flouts any law of the restrictions announced by the government would be arrested and prosecuted.
“The closing of the state borders, which began on Saturday (March 28, 2020) would be strictly implemented to the letter in conjunction with other security and paramilitary agencies in the state.”
The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has declared a one-day fast against the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.
He enjoined residents of the state to fast today (Monday) in order to seek divine intervention towards ending the pandemic
Ganduje said this while inaugurating a 37-member Fund Raising Committee on COVID-19, at the Government House on Sunday.
He said, “As Nigeria recorded over 90 cases of coronavirus, Kano is yet to record a single case, hence the need for the government to be up and doing to contain the outbreak of the deadly disease.
“I call on Kano people to observe fast tomorrow, (Monday) 30th March, and 5th Sha’aban and pray hard against the outbreak of coronavirus in our dear state.
“I also call on people to intensify prayers because prayer is the best fire for this disease,” he said
The Chairman, Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof Francisca Aladejana, said on Sunday that the state government would on Monday begin teaching of primary school pupils on the state-owned radio station, Ekiti FM 91.5, to minimise the effect of disruption of school calendar by coronavirus outbreak.
Aladejana said the “school in the air programme was also designed to positively engage school age children who are on an indefinite break as part of efforts by government to curtail the spread of the deadly coronavirus.”
The SUBEB boss said in a statement in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, that “primary school pupils would on each weekday be taught one out of English Language, Yoruba, Basic Science, Civic Education and National Value as well as Mathematics.”
Aladejana said it would be interactive to facilitate proper appraisal of the impact of the proposed programme, adding that there would be a phone-in segment at the end of each edition to allow for questions and answers on the topic of the day as well as act as an evaluation for the reach and impact of the programme.
She urged parents and guardians to take advantage of government’s initiative by ensuring that their children actively participated in the programme starting every weekday between 3.10pm and 4pm.
The Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Sunday said he had donated his 10-month salaries towards the efforts being made to check the spread of coronavirus in the state.
He also said the technical committee on COVID-19 set up by the state government would this week provide palliative measures to the people of the state to cushion the effect of the stay-at-home order imposed on the people to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state.
The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, rallied support for the state’s campaign to keep coronavirus out of the state.
According to the statement, Abdulrazaq said, “I have directed the technical committee on COVID-19 to begin distribution of palliatives, including food stuffs, to the people this week even as I call on everyone to stay at home and stay safe and maintain social distancing.”
The governor also announced the donation of his 10-months salaries from May 29, 2019 to date to his administration’s efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Whereas our state has no confirmed case of coronavirus as at now, we have been taking every step necessary to ensure we keep Kwara safe. Such measures have included keeping our people at home while we ramp up investments in our capacity to cope with this global health emergency,” AbdulRazaq said.
“This time calls for sacrifice from everyone as humanity needs all the help it can get. For this reason, I hereby donate 100% of my monthly salary since May 29, 2019 to our efforts to prevent this virus from getting to us, provide palliatives to our people, as well as boost our capacity to cope if it ever comes.”
The Oyo State COVID-19 Security and Enforcement sub-committee has reportedly impounded 22 vehicles during its special night operations.
The operation was aimed at enforcing compliance at club houses and public places in Ibadan, the state capital.
The Executive Chairman, OYRTMA, Dr Akin Fagbemi, while addressing members of the task force before the operation, charged them to be professional in their approach.
Fagbemi said the team should respect the citizens’ fundamental human rights in the course of the operation.
He said, “The Oyo State COVID-19 Security and Enforcement subcommittee is made up of Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency and other security agencies and we have begun a special night monitoring and enforcement of state government’s directive aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus among residents of the state, particularly through transport operators, night clubs and other public places.”
Earlier, Fagbemi distributed protective tools such as hand gloves, sanitizers, nose masks and thermometers to the officers for self protection during patrol.
While dispersing cluster of persons at club houses, the Special anti-COVID-19 squad urged residents to comply with the state government’s directives on social distancing, regular washing of hands and other precautions.
Club houses that were visited included Platinum, Awolowo Road; Hexagon, Samonda; Pleasure Summit, GRA; Cimola Hotel, Mokola; Latitude, Samonda; Mauve 21, Ring Road; Ventura, Sango and Shanty’s club, among others.
The Federal Government is planning to connect all tertiary institutions in the country to the Internet in the next five years.
The government also plans to reach 50 per cent of secondary schools and 25 per cent of primary schools in the country with Internet connection by ensuring that institutions are located within five kilometres of fibre infrastructure or a fixed connection.
The plans to achieve these are contained in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025.
As part of the plans, one general or major hospital per local government area as well as federal medical centres across the country would have access to Internet connectivity in the next five years.
Stakeholders in the telecommunication industry also plan to increase internet download speed from a minimum of three megabytes per second in urban areas this year to 25mbps while delivering a minimum of 10mbps in rural areas by 2025.
They estimated that extensive deployment of fibre optics infrastructure and connection to towers would help the country to achieve 90 per cent 4G coverage in the next five years.
According to the NBP, another area of focus is the need for denser fibre network in order to aggregate fibre from base stations and across metro areas.
Speaking at the unveiling of the plans in Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari, urged mobile network operators to ensure full attainment of the targets set in the new National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 by giving special attention to the un-served and underserved areas when deploying telecom services.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has urged Nigerian women to take precautionary measures and stock their homes with food to remain at home to minimise the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on gender dimension of coronavirus urged women to adhere strictly to the directives to curb the spread of the virus in the society.
She appealed to women groups and organisations to respect constituted authorities and adhere to all government directives on hosting of public events such as village meetings, town meetings, weddings, burials, celebrations and all festive activities during the period.
The Ogun State Government said it has extended the closure of its borders till Monday night in alignment with the directive of the Federal Government concerning the restriction of movement within and outside its borders.
Governor Dapo Abiodun in a statement said the border closure that was supposed to take effect on Sunday night has been extended till Monday night.
Abiodun said the adjustment came following the broadcast of the President Buhari concerning restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States as well as the Federal Capital Territory Abuja mostly impacted by COVID-19.
He said, “Consequently, as against the earlier announced border closure with neighbouring states and the Benin Republic from midnight of Sunday, 29th of March, 2020, the order has been extended to all forms of movement within and outside the State.
“This will take effect from 11 pm on Monday 30th of March, 2020 as announced by the President in his broadcast.
“Movement is restricted within and across our borders with neighbouring states and the international border with the Republic of Benin, effective from 11 pm on Monday.
“The only exceptions to this restriction are as announced by the President.
“The general public is, once again, enjoined to comply with this directive in the overall interest of all.”
The US recorded 518 new coronavirus-linked deaths in the span of 24 hours, according to data published Sunday by Johns Hopkins University.
The record toll, higher than the previous day’s increase of 453, brings the country’s total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic to 2,409.
The number of cases shot up 21,333 in one day, the data showed.
That is about the same as Saturday’s increase of 21,309 but the numbers are counted in real time by Johns Hopkins and should be taken with caution.
With 136,880 total cases, the US has the highest number in the world, ahead of Italy, China and Spain.
New York state, which has become the epicenter of the pandemic in the US, is by far the hardest-hit region, with nearly 60,000 cases and 965 deaths, according to a statement released Sunday by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Senior US scientist Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert and an advisor to President Donald Trump during the crisis, cautiously predicted Sunday that the novel coronavirus could claim between 100,000 and 200,000 lives in the United States.
The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, indicated on Sunday that all major engagements had been suspended at the palace in view of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The monarch made the disclosure in a statement by his Personal Assistant and Director of Media and Publicity, Adeola Oloko, after the distribution of food items and hand sanitisers in some communities in the city.
Among the benefiting communities are Popoyemoja, Alaadorin, Akuro, Ita Aregbe-omo and Gbodu.
According to the statement, the gesture was in a bid to cushion the effect of the suspension of large gatherings by the state government.
It said for the infection to be eradicated quickly, the people must comply with all directives.
The statement read in part, “I cautioned the people not to take chances with their health by complying with instructions and other precautionary measures which include the stay-at-home order, social distancing, regular hand washing, avoidance of overcrowding, self-isolation, doing away with handshake and prompt reporting of COVID-19-related symptoms to the appropriate quarters.”
It added that people should not panic, noting that government was doing its best to curtail the spread of the virus. It further stressed that as was the case during the Ebola outbreak, Avian flu and Lassa fever, coronavirus would fizzle out.
“If it (the virus) must go as quickly as possible, we need to comply with all directives. Even in the Olubadan palace, we have suspended palace activities over the past one and a half weeks.
“Courtesy visits have been cancelled. Land cases have been postponed. Chieftaincy promotion exercise that ought to take place in a stretch of three weeks have been put on hold and the Olubadan-in-Council members and affected chiefs have been duly informed about it as far back as two weeks ago. We wish we could do more as health is wealth.”
Meanwhile, the Jagun Olubadan, Chief Wasiu Aderoju Alaadorin, has urged traditional rulers and well-meaning personalities in the land to emulate the gesture of the Olubadan in the fight against the spread of coronavirus in their domains.
He said the gesture of the monarch was the right tonic needed to encourage indigent residents to comply with government’s stay-at-home order. This, he said, would allay fears of starvation.
A 25-year-old graduating Nigerian student identified as Bassey Offiong has died after contracting coronavirus.
Bassey who was expected to graduate with a chemical engineering degree in a few weeks reportedly died of coronavirus on Saturday March 28, after allegedly being turned down several times for the coronavirus test in the Kalamazoo area while living off-campus, despite having fever, fatigue and shortness of breath.
Sister of deceased, Asari Offiong said;
“I told him to ask them to test him. He said they refused to test him. One medical staffer told him he had bronchitis.
“I know God has him in his presence. He loved God.”
Before his death, Bassey was hospitalized at Beaumont in Royal Oak and spent the last week on a ventilator in their intensive care unit.
In a tribute to him, President of Western Michigan University Edward Montgomery said;
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of our students, Bassey Offiong. Bassey was a young man of enormous potential… On behalf of the entire Bronco community, I want to extend my deepest condolences to his entire family, including his sister Asari, who has been generous in communicating with us regularly. They are in our thoughts and prayers
during this difficult time.”
The Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department also regretted the sad incident.
A human rights lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), says President Muhammadu Buhari lacks the power to restrict movement in a state without recourse to the National Assembly.
Adegboruwa said this in a statement while reacting to the President’s restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States as well as Abuja.
The senior advocate said, “The President has no powers to restrict the movement of persons without recourse to the National Assembly. The President has not invoked his powers under the constitution to declare any state of emergency, which must be approved by the National Assembly.
“We are running a constitutional democracy and it is illegal for the President to take over the affairs of any state of the federation without the express consent of the people of that state through their elected representatives.
“It is only the governor of the state through the House of Assembly of the state that can make any declaration concerning the people of that state. Little wonder that the President could not cite any law that he relied upon for his declaration.”
Adegboruwa, who stated that he supports measures put in place to curb the virus, said the law must be respected. He, therefore, called on the President to do the right thing.
The senior advocate also called on Buhari to put measures in place to assuage the financial consequences of the restriction.
Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly splurged £8.5million (about N4billion) on a limited edition Bugatti - of which only 10 have been made.
The Juventus superstar, currently on lockdown in his native Madeira, is believed to have ordered the luxury Bugatti Centodieci, report Bild.
Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo already owns a Bugatti Chiron and a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse as part of his huge collection.
He has 'CR7' embroidered on the headrests of his other two Bugattis.
This new model is believed to be a tribute to the legendary Bugatti EB110.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s long awaited address on the COVID-19 pandemic came empty and failed to address the salient demands of the impact of the scourge on the nation.
The party in a statement Sunday night by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan noted that outside the social distancing and isolation, which Nigerians had already imposed on themselves, Buhari had no new solutions to offer the nation.
The PDP said that the address did not touch on the real necessities of the majority of Nigerians who reside in the states where Buhari had ordered a lockdown.
“It is unfortunate that Mr. President failed to respond to demands on hope for medications, direct social palliatives, cut in taxes as well as reduction in the pump price of fuel even with the cut in the price of petroleum and crude oil in the international market.
“Our party notes as saddening that even in areas where Mr. President announced an ambitious intervention, such remained largely cosmetic as there are no clear palliative content but moratoriums on loans with no clear data for implementation.
“Mr. President is reminded that already, the COVID-19 had affected the performance of those loans. Granting them moratoriums is therefore of no consequence to the capital and interest on them.
"It is rather unfortunate that Nigerians had to wait this long for an address that came out empty and failed to respond to anxieties.
“Moreover, Nigerians expected Mr. President to articulate an across-the-board and far-reaching strategy that would have captured the need of each state of the federation as they were today, instead of a parochial approach to a national anxiety.
“President Buhari should therefore go back, listen to the nation, retool his policy framework and implementation strategy to properly address the fears as well as the needs of Nigerians, including health safety measures and the real remedies that meet the anxieties of our nation at this critical time,” the party said.
National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday announced a donation of N200m to support the efforts at curtailing the novel Coronavirus disease.
N100m of the donation would be donated to the Lagos State Government; while the remaining N100m would go to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Tinubu said.
The former governor, who clocked 68 yesterday, also commended the residents of the state for observing social distancing and other measures advised by the government to help in nipping the virus in the bud.
In a statement he personally signed, Tinubu said his annual colloquium was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic which requires some level of social distancing and avoiding large gatherings.
Two Nigerian soldiers have tested positive for Coronavirus in Monguno, Borno State, Sahara Reporters can confirm.
The duo, who returned to camp after they were issued administrative passes, have been quarantined at Sector 3 Mission Headquarters for observation since Saturday March 28, 2020.
At the time of this report, it's unclear if the Nigerian Center for Disease Control had tallied the newly recorded cases to the number of confirmed cases in the country which currently stands at 111 with one recorded death.
