416 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Nigeria across 19 states and FCT on Monday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The death toll in the country increased by 12. Total of 10,578 cases have been confirmed in Nigeria as at 1 June 2020. 3,122 persons have recovered with 299 deaths recorded.
Lagos state holds 48.54%(5,135) of all the confirmed cases in Nigeria while 9.05%(958) is recorded in Kano state and 6.37%(674) in FCT. Thus, 63.97%(6,767) of the total confirmed cases in Nigeria is recorded in 3 states.
The details of the new cases are as follows; Lagos-192, Edo-41, Rivers-33, Kaduna-30, Kwara-23, Nasarawa-18, Borno-17, FCT-14, Oyo-10, Katsina-7, Abia-5, Delta-5, Adamawa-4, Kano-4, Imo-3, Ondo-3, Benue-2, Bauchi-2, Ogun-2, and Niger-1.
As at 1 June 2020, 63,882 samples have been tested for Covid-19 in Nigeria since the outbreak began according to NCDC.
The Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 on Monday set out new guidelines for the reopening of the economy with effect from Tuesday 2 June.
- Nationwide curfew remains in place, between 10pm to 4am.
- Full opening of financial sector – normal working hours
- Restricted opening of places of worship, (regular church & mosque services ONLY), to be based on State Government protocols.
- Interstate travel remains prohibited except for goods & essential travel
- Gathering of more than 20 persons remains prohibited; outside of workplaces and religious services
- Aviation Industry requested to start developing protocols for domestic flights to possibly resume from 21 June. This date for opening of domestic flights is TENTATIVE as certain conditions have to be fulfilled between now & then according to the Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.
Such conditions include making sure that Aircraft are good and safe to fly as well as necessary re-certifications and medical checks for pilots and crews
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- Hotels may reopen while restaurants outside of hotels must remain closed for eat-in. The operations will be TAKEOUT ONLY
- Bars, gyms, cinemas, nightclubs, parks remain closed until further evaluation
- All schools to remain closed until further evaluation
- Offices maintain 2m physical distancing and 75% max capacity
According to the PTF, the guidelines is to be implemented or enforced by State Governments
All permitted openings (hotels, religious services etc) will maintain non-pharmaceutical interventions such as masks, sanitizers or handwashing facilities, 2m social distancing, capacity limits.
In Bayelsa, six churches have been sealed by the The Security sub-Committee of the Bayelsa State Task Force on COVID-19 in the state capital Yenegoa. The state has recorded 21 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 8 recoveries and 2 deaths.
The churches were sealed due to noncompliance to the measures outlined for the control of the virus outbreak in the state. This was announced by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Orientation and member of the Bayelsa State Task Force on COVID-19, Freston Akpor on Sunday.
The affected churches include Living Faith Church, Salvation Victory Centre,.Shalom International Christian Centre, along Tombia-Amassoma Road and Great Grace Distinguished Assembly, Okutukutu
Recall that Investogist reported that the World Health Organization has suspended the trial of Hydroxychloroquine over safety concerns following a study published in The Lancet medical journal that linked the drug to high rate of dangerous side effects on Covid-19 patients.
However, a group of some 120 researchers signed a letter pointing out inconsistencies, calling on the authors and The Lancet to reveal more details about their analysis.
The letter pointed out 14 major shortcomings in the paper, including that computer code used to analyze the data wasn’t made public, and that no information was included on the medical centers that contributed data.
The Lancet, in a post on Twitter, said it had made corrections to the study but that its results and conclusions remained unchanged. The corrections included how patients were counted from different regions, and the journal said that an incorrect appendix table had been included.
The United States has sent 2 million doses of Hydroxychloroquine and 1,000 ventilators to Brazil as the country struggles with Covid-19 outbreak. The two countries issued a joint statement, saying that they will work together on clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug.
The drug will be used by Brazil’s nurses, doctors, and health-care professionals to fight Covid-19 and to treat Brazilians who become infected. On Wednesday 20 May, Brazilian President Bolsonaro had announced that the health ministry is expanding its approval for the use of Hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of Covid-19.
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The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Brazil have continued to soar. The country has the second largest number of confirmed cases behind the U.S and fourth largest death toll in the world behind the U.S, UK and Italy.
Brazil has recorded 514,849 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 206,555 recoveries and 29,314 deaths
In South Africa, the ban on sale of alcohol has been lifted. The sellers were greeted with long queues with some said to have been there over night waiting to buy alcohol for the first time in 2 months.
The country had imposed a ban on alcohol to reduce alcohol related violence in the country as it battles with Covid-19 pandemic, thus freeing up police and hospitals.
Alcohol related violence is high in South Africa. It was reported that during the ban domestic violence, trauma admission to hospital due to alcohol and alcohol related violence dropped by over 60%.
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South Africa holds the highest number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Africa. It has recorded 34,357 cases with 17,291 recoveries and 705 deaths
In Rwanda, the planned easing of coronavirus restrictions on Monday has been reversed after the first death from the virus and a rise in new cases was recorded.
Easing of the restrictions which would allow travel between provinces, including movement in and out of the capital, Kigali, was scheduled to resume on 1 June after more than two months.
Rwanda has recorded 377 confirmed cases with 262 recoveries and 1 death.
In Africa, total of 147,099 cases have been confirmed. 61,808 persons have recovered with 4,228 deaths recorded according to Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
In Singapore, lockdown restriction is being lifted with construction and some businesses allowed to reopen. The country imposed a lockdown in April in its effort to curtail the outbreak of Covid-19.
Singapore hopes to open 80% of its economy in June according to the Prime Minister, Chan Chun Sing on Monday. Singapore was one of the first countries outside China to confirm cases of Covid-19. It initially appeared to have contained the outbreak, but number of cases spiked after infections were identified in parked dormitories.
Singapore has recorded 35,292 cases with 22,466 recoveries and 24 deaths. It is notable that the death toll in the country is very low. Death rate in Singapore is 0.068% while recovery rate is 63.66%
In the UK, schools have reopened on Monday in England. Many students have said that being back to school with social distancing measures doesn’t feel normal, although they get to see their friends. Parents on the other hand are skeptical about sending their children to school, as the threat of Covid-19 is still in existence.
Maximum of 6 people will be allowed to meet outside, and businesses allowed to reopen. This measures have been criticized by the scientists as they say that cases will increase if the restrictions are relaxed. The whole of UK is not united in the reopening plans.
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UK has the fourth largest number of confirmed cases in the world at 277,726 behind the U.S, Brazil and Russia. However, it has the second largest number of deaths at 39,127 globally after the U.S.
The global confirmed cases of Covid-19 stands at 6,246,042 with 2,687,848 recoveries and 374,452 deaths recorded according to John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
Written by;
Ifunanya Ikueze
