Atiku’s Son Tests Positive As COVID-19 Cases Escalate To 30
The first high profile case of COVID-19 broke yesterday as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar announced that his son had tested positive for the pandemic.
Atiku’s announcement came through his Twitter and Facebook platforms last night, several hours after the federal government had said eight new cases of COVID-19 in Lagos, Oyo and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had brought the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 30, spread over four states and the FCT.
Although the former vice president did not divulge the identity of the son, he said he had duly informed the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and that the son was moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment and management.
He said: “My son has tested positive to coronavirus. @NCDCGov has been duly informed, and he has been moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment and management. I will appreciate it if you have him in your prayers. Stay safe, coronavirus is real. -AA.”
A close family source told THISDAY that the son, who returned from Switzerland recently, is responding to treatment and is in a stable condition.
The global death toll from the pandemic has since jumped to 13,799, with 322,278 persons confirmed to be positive in 189 countries across six continents, compelling the World Health Organisation (WHO) to warn Nigeria and other countries affected that lockdown approach alone can’t defeat the growing spread of the disease.
Following the increasing cases in the country, the federal government and some state governments had shut down schools and international airports, advising citizens to observe social distancing by avoiding the gathering of more then 20 people.
Despite the restrictions, many churches across the country held services yesterday, increasing the possibilities of an escalation of the pandemic in the country.
Concerned by the disobedience to the restrictions, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr.
Mohammed Adamu, yesterday ordered Zonal Inspectors-General of Police and State Police Commands Commissioners to enforce social restriction orders imposed by government at all levels.
He also directed the Zonal AIGs and Command CPs to guard against cases of unnecessary arrests and detention of suspects, telling citizens to stay away from police stations.
Announcing the new cases on its Twitter handle yesterday, @NCDCgov, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said six of them were from Lagos, while one each is from Oyo State and the FCT.
It said: “The three cases from Lagos had a travel history to high-risk countries in the last seven days. They have all been placed under isolation and treatment.
“Breaking down these figures means Lagos has recorded 19 cases, Abuja four, Ogun two, Oyo one and Ekiti one.
“Of the total 27 cases, two have been discharged. We are working closely with the affected states, including the FCT identify and follow up with contacts. If you have returned to Nigeria from any country in the last 14 days, please stay in self-isolation.”
In a separate update, NCDC confirmed three more cases of COVID-19 in Lagos, bringing the number of recorded cases in the state as at yesterday to six, and that of the country to 30.
Stating this on its Twitter handle Sunday, @NCDCgov, the centre said two of the latest three new cases were returning travellers while one was a contact of a confirmed case.
It said: “As at 05:28 pm on March 22, there are 30 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. Two have been discharged with no deaths.”
The Lagos State Government through the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, gave further details on the first three new cases from the state, noting that one of the three cases was a 51-year-old Briton, who arrived in Nigeria on March 8 via BA75 flight.
He said: “The second patient is a Nigerian on connecting flight KL0582 London Amsterdam/KL0587 Amsterdam to Lagos. He arrived in Nigeria on March 14.
“The third case is a 65-year-old citizen of the United States of America who arrived in Lagos about six weeks ago.”
In a related development, the Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde, who doubles as the Chairman, State COVID-19 Task Force said the case from the state had been placed under isolation and treatment.
He said: “The COVID-19 confirmation test for the suspected case at Bodija has come back positive. The result was released at 17:35 PM of March 21, 2020. Oyo State Public Health Officials are collaborating with the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan’s team on the case.
“A follow up on the Ekiti COVID-19 case revealed that the person was picked up directly from Lagos Airport to a private apartment in Ona Ara Local Government Area.
“The Health Authorities have contacted the family concerned and the community has been alerted for intensified contact tracing and self-isolation of identified close contacts.
“The information given that he stayed in some hotels in Ibadan has been found to be false.”
He also stated that another returnee from Texas, USA, has also been identified at Oluyole Local Government Area, adding that she has been kept in self-isolation with close monitoring by the state’s epidemiological team.
Makinde urged all recent returnees to identify themselves to health ministry officials and self-isolate for 14 days.
“We have released funds for Activation of Emergency Operation Centre at the Ministry of Health and establishment of Diagnostic Centre for the screening of Coronavirus and other related infectious diseases to be stationed at the UCH, Ibadan,” he said.
The governor said the equipping of the newly designated Oyo State Infectious Disease Centre at Olodo that has the capacity for over 100 cases had started, releasing telephone helplines of the state Ministry of Health to be contacted in case of any suspected case around the state as 08038210122; 08023229267; 08073431342.
Churches Defy Mass Gathering Restriction, Hold Services
However, many churches in at least 15 states and the FCT yesterday defied the restriction on mass gathering and held their normal Sunday services.
The 15 states include: Bauchi, Enugu, Katsina, Ebonyi, Ogun, Taraba, Kwara, Sokoto, Kogi, Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Oyo, Adamawa and Plateau.
However, most churches in Lagos and Osun States adhered to the restriction, while Ondo and Ekiti States recorded partial compliance.
THISDAY gathered that churches in Jos, Plateau State held their usual services yesterday without restrictions.
It was also gathered that the congregation mixed up during praise and worship time, with only a handful of members seen with face masks at the beginning of services, but they soon removed them as the services went on.
At some of the churches visited by THISDAY in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) in Abuja, normal church services were being observed with a huge turnout, although there were few places where the attendance was low.
Sanwo-Olu Directs Civil Servants to Stay Home for 14 Days
In Lagos State that has 22 cases, the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday directed all workers under the state government to observe a stay-at-home order for 14 days in the wake of the increasing cases of COVID-19 in the state.
Addressing journalists at the State House Marina, Sanwo-Olu said the directive would take effect from today, adding that all officers from Grade 1-12 are to observe it.
The governor urged members of the public to refrain from visiting the state secretariat, urging them to utilise other available options to carry out their transactions, including online and via phones.
The governor, however, added that the directive would not apply to first responders, including staff of LAWMA, LASEMA, Fire Service, LASAMBUS, and LASEPA among others.
He also encouraged private-owned organisations to take a cue from the state government and direct their staff to work from home for the period.
IG Orders AIGs, CPs to Enforce Social Restriction Orders
As part of the containment efforts, the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu, at the weekend directed the Zonal Inspectors-General of Police and State Police Commands to enforce social restriction orders imposed by government at all levels.
He also directed the Zonal AIGs and Command CPs to guard against cases of unnecessary arrests and detention of suspects.
The IG directed them “to ensure that all legitimate orders given in pursuant to the containment efforts are strictly enforced within their areas of jurisdiction.”
The IG, in a statement by Force Headquarters, said the detention of suspects must be reduced to the barest minimum and that only very serious cases such as terrorism, armed robbery, homicide and other non-bailable offences should warrant detention.
He further directed that adequate measures be emplaced to screen persons to be committed into police custody.
Adamu “ordered Command CPs to immediately publicise phone numbers of their Command Control Rooms, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and other tactical commanders using the conventional and non-conventional media in order to facilitate alternative interacting and reporting options between the public and the police.”
The statement signed by Force PRO, Mr. Frank Mba, affirmed that in compliance with the federal government’s directive that all tertiary institutions be shut, the IG has ordered the immediate closure of the Nigeria Police Academy as well as all police primary and secondary schools nationwide while the force medical services were empowered and directed to step up sensitisation programmes across commands, formations and barracks in the country.
Police Detainees Regain Freedom in Ogun
Perhaps in compliance with the IG’s directive, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kenneth Ebrimson, yesterday ordered the immediate release of all persons detained for minor offences in all police facilities across the state to avoid the spread of the pandemic.
Ebrimson gave the order through a statement by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi.
Oyeyemi, a deputy superintendent of police, said: “The CP has ordered the immediate release of all suspects being detained for minor offences in all police facilities across the state, as part of the preventive measure; while the police medical team has been directed to take the awareness campaign (on COVID-19) to market places and detention facilities, to ensure public safety.”
Eko Hotel Announces Partial Closure of Its Services
Also following the lockdown of social and religious gatherings to 20 persons per meeting point, in compliance, Eko Hotel & Suites has announced a partial closure of its services because of COVID-19.
In a statement issued yesterday on its Facebook page, the hotel said it will temporarily close down some of its services including the spa, gym, pool, conference and banquet facilities.
“It is with great difficulty, but with the safety of you and our community in mind, that we have made the decision to temporarily close our Eko Suites Hotel, Eko Gardens Hotel, 88 Restaurant, Lagos Irish Pub, Sky Restaurant, My Thai Restaurant, Red Chinese Restaurant, Crossroads, the spa, gym, pool, and conference and banquet facilities.
“However, part of Eko Signature and Eko Hotel, as well as Kuramo Sports Cafe, Calabash Bar, Lagoon Breeze, 1415 Seafood and Steakhouse are still operational,” it said.
CJN Urges Judicial Officers to Comply with Social Distancing
From the judiciary came the news that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, has directed all judicial officers to comply with the guidelines issued by the NCDC and other relevant bodies towards containing the spread of the deadly disease.
Muhammad, who gave the directive in a circular issued on March 20, 2020, to judicial officers said the need to comply is of utmost importance because the disease which is spreading wide and fast has no known cure.
The CJN in the circular titled: “Preventive measures on the Spread of COVID-19 and the Protection of Justices, Judges and Staff of Courts,” said that the matter is of grave concern to the judiciary, hence the need to reduce crowd in the courts and order judiciary environments.
It stated: “Consequently you are expected to take all necessary steps to ensure that the safety of management and staff within your jurisdiction by averting large gathering of people in view of the risk it may pose.
“As you all know, all federal judicial bodies are expected to continue work, however, as much as possible, efforts must be made to ensure that members of the public coming for official matters/meetings/conferences within your jurisdiction do not exceed the recommended number.”
Lockdown Alone Can’t Tackle Outbreak, WHO Warns Nigeria, Others
As the death toll from COVID-19 jumped to 13,799, with 322,278 persons confirmed to be positive, WHO has warned Nigeria and other countries affected that lockdown approaches alone can’t defeat the growing spread of the disease.
Although an estimated 96,000 people have so far recovered from the disease worldwide, at least 10, 000 people are still in critical condition, a situation that predicts more fatalities will be recorded.
WHO urged governments to show leadership to defeat the virus.
A WHO Chief Emergency expert, Mr. Mike Ryann, who spoke yesterday on BBC said: “What we really need to focus on is finding those who are sick, those who have the virus, and isolate them, find their contacts and isolate them.
“The danger right now with the lockdowns is that, if we don’t put in place the strong public health measures now, when those movement restrictions and lockdowns are lifted, the danger is the disease will jump back up.”
US Records 100 Deaths in 24 Hours, Senator Tests Positive
The novel coronavirus epidemic has claimed more than 100 lives in the past 24 hours in the United States, bringing the total to 389 deaths as of Sunday, according to an authoritative tally from Johns Hopkins University.
According to the university, the states of New York (114 deaths), Washington (94 deaths) and California (28 deaths) have been the hardest hit by far. The virus has infected at least 30,000 people nationwide.
Senators in the country panicked yesterday as one of them, Senator Rand Paul, revealed he had tested positive to COVID-19 after mingling with his colleagues for days as they negotiated a new set of economic stimulus.
He becomes the third member of Congress to test positive, raising concerns of senators who are now seeking medical advice on what to do.
UK’s Body Count Rises to 244
In Britain, 11 more people have died after testing positive for COVID-19 in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – taking the UK total to 244, according to Sky News yesterday.
There have been seven fatalities in Wales over the last 24 hours, taking its total to 12 and a further three in Scotland, where the number of deaths overall now stands at 10.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel Quarantined
In Germany, the Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has quarantined herself at home after having contact with her doctor who tested positive for COVID-19.
Her spokesperson, Steffen Seibert, said she was informed of her doctor’s test result on Sunday shortly after a press conference.
Seibert said the doctor had administered a precautionary vaccine against pneumococcal infection on Merkel on Friday.
He said the chancellor would undergo regular tests in the coming days, and that she would continue to work from home in the meantime.
The country has lost 93 people to the disease with 24,806 confirmed cases
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Nigeria’s COVID-19 State of the States
Martins Ifijeh
While all 36 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory are gradually locking down activities in a bid to halt the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the disease seems to have intensified its coverage in the country.
As at yesterday, it has infected 30 persons, comprising of 28 Nigerians, an Italian and one American in four states and the FCT; a situation that has now prompted the federal and state governments to initiate more stringent measures to halt its community spread.
The states so far affected are Ogun, Lagos, Oyo and Ekiti. FCT, the seat of power has also recorded cases.
Ogun State
Unlike Ebola outbreak in 2014 where the Liberian index case, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, was recorded against Lagos State, the index case from COVID-19 outbreak was reported to have been identified in Lafarge Africa Plc in Ogun State for suspicion of having the virus after he developed its symptoms, prompting his host to call on the Lagos State government, which eventually evacuated him to the Infectious Disease Centre in Yaba where he tested positive to the disease.
Eight days after, a staff of Lafarge Africa, who had contact with the Italian index case also tested positive to the disease.
They have both been discharged from the Lagos isolation centre after their viral load regressed back to negative.
Lagos State
Lagos state is presently the epicentre of the disease in Nigeria as 22 persons have been confirmed to have tested positive to the virus in the cosmopolitan state.
It recorded its first case of the disease March 17 when a 30-year-old female, who returned from the United Kingdom tested positive to the virus.
She was independent of the Italian case. She is presently under treatment.
On March 18, the state recorded five more cases.
Just barely 24 hours after, it recorded another three cases. One of the cases had contact with the 30-year-old Nigerian woman who had tested positive to the virus March 17.
By March 21, Lagos recorded another seven cases; a development that prompted the state government to institute a number of stringent measures against the virus, as it was believed there could be community spread of the virus.
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, closed down schools, reduced religious gatherings to 50 per time, and called on residents of the state to limit their movements to crowded places.
Sunday, the state again recorded another six confirmed cases, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 22.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said many of the cases were recovering.
Ekiti State
While Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, was announcing the five confirmed cases in Lagos March 18, he also mentioned that the 6th case was from Ekiti.
While most residents of Ekiti believed the Ekiti case had contact with a diseased American, who was suspected to be positive to the virus in the state, the state government traced his status to one of the confirmed cases in Lagos.
Oyo State
Oyo is the latest state to be affected by the virus. Its Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, in a statement yesterday said the female patient was picked up directly from Lagos airport after flying into the country last weekend.
Federal Capital Territory
The Federal Capital Territory is the second most hit region after Lagos. It presently has six confirmed cases of the virus.
Ehanire announced its first case on March 21 where three persons were reported to be infected by the virus. On Sunday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also announced three more cases, bringing the total to six in the FCT.
Other States
Although other states have intensified measures against the disease, it is believed there is already community spread of the virus in the country, prompting states to suspend school, religious and other social gatherings.
However, 32 states do not have any case but lack isolation centres at the moment.
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…It’s 30 Patients and where they came from
Martins Ifijeh
By global health prediction, disease outbreaks are only 36 hours away from potentially entering any country of the world irrespective of how farther apart the index country and the receiving nations are geographically placed.
It, however, took Nigeria 59 days to get its first confirmed case of COVID-19, a new coronavirus disease, which broke out from Wuhan City in China since December 31, 2019.
Twenty-four days after the first index case of the virus was recorded at the Infectious Disease Centre in Lagos, Nigeria’s burden of the virus has surged to 30 with the majority of the cases confirmed to be exported into the country from nations with a high burden of the disease.
So far, the federal government has named countries of import of the virus into Nigeria to be United Kingdom, Italy, France, Canada, Spain, Netherland, and the United States.
9 Cases from …United Kingdom
Of the 30 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria, at least nine of the patients came into the country from the United Kingdom, hence representing the country with the highest import of the respiratory disease into Nigeria.
Majority of the patients had travelled to the country within in February and did not have symptoms of the disease when they left the UK for Nigeria.
The UK is one of the countries with a high burden of the disease. As of yesterday, at least 5, 683 persons have been infected, while about 300 have died from the disease.
Nigeria last week closed its borders to 15 countries, including the UK.
4 Cases from …United States
According to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who on different occasions provided travel histories of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Nigeria, at least four of the cases were said to enter into Nigeria from the United States.
The country presently has a burden of over 30,000 infected cases and 388 deaths. It has now surpassed Spain’s burden thereby becoming the 3rd most-affected nation by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite being one of the countries with the best healthcare globally, its health force fear it may be overwhelmed should the virus surge beyond its present number.
Already, the outbreak is already having a toll on the country’s economy with 283 persons said to have lost their jobs last Friday due to the outbreak.
2 Cases from …France
So far, at least two of the 30 confirmed cases in Nigeria came into the country through France. Although the two cases are presently receiving treatment, it is believed one of them infected another Nigerian before he tested positive and commenced treatment.
France is one of the high-risk countries for COVID-19. It presently has over 14, 000 infected cases and 562 deaths.
One case each from Spain, Netherland, Italy and Canada
Although Italy is referred to as the epicenter of the outbreak in Italy, only one case has been announced by the Nigerian government to have come into its territory from the country.
The only Italian case so far mentioned is the index case of COVID-19 in Nigeria.
Italy’s death toll has surpassed that of China, with over 53, 000 persons said to be infected, while 4, 823 persons have died so far.
Italy has a high old population and those most at risk of COVID-19 deaths are old persons above 65 years, and persons with underlying illnesses.
Spain, Netherland and Canada have so far imported one case each into Nigeria.
4 Cases of Community Spread
While countries often guide against the import of foreign diseases into their country, the greatest fear from pandemics is the community spread of the disease.
Community spread of a disease is a public health term, which refers to person to person transmission of disease.
So far, Nigeria has had four community spread of the COVID-19. The Italian index case infected a Nigerian in Ogun. The 30-year-old female, who came into the country from the United Kingdom, infected another woman. As at the last count, this has so far been transmitted to four persons in the country.
The federal and state governments have instituted a lockdown of activities in their respective domain as part of plans to halt community spread of the disease; as this remains the fastest way diseases can spread across people in a particular region.
7 Cases …unannounced origin
During the announcement of each confirmed case in Nigeria, the federal government, either through the Ministry of Health or the NCDC gives details on the travel history of the patients.
It, however, didn’t give detail on seven cases. While it is certain they were not exposed to the virus through community spread, the country with which they imported it has never been mentioned.
The Nigerian government has not also mentioned whether any case was imported into the country through China, the epicenter of the disease despite Nigeria’s high trading partnership with the country.
