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China admits to destroying early coronavirus samples, says action was taken due to safety concerns
China has acknowledged it destroyed early samples of COVID-19, confirming a claim put forward by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo late last month. On Friday, Liu Dengfeng, a supervisor with China’s National Health Commission, admitted that ‘the Chinese government issued an order on January 3 to dispose of coronavirus samples’ at unauthorized laboratories, according to Newsweek. But Liu denied that the samples were destroyed as part of a cover-up, insisting that they were disposed of so as to ‘prevent risk to laboratory biological safety and prevent secondary disasters caused by unidentified pathogens.’ He stated that the labs were ‘unauthorized’ to handle such samples, and they had to be terminated in order to comply with Chinese public health laws. Liu did not specify how many labs des...
Journalist suspended for requesting salary on social media
A journalist with the Imo State government has been suspended indefinitely from her job for taking to Facebook to request her three months unpaid salary and the wages of her co-workers. Officials said the Facebook post was an “embarrassment” to the Imo State government. The suspended journalist, Vivian Ottih, is a lawyer and a senior editor with the government-owned IBC Orient FM radio station. She is the chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), in Imo State. Mrs Ottih, on May 4, posted a message on Facebook, appealing to Governor Hope Uzodinma’s media aide, Modestus Nwamkpa, to make a case to the governor on behalf of the workers in the government-owned radio and television stations who were yet to get their February, March, and April salaries. Ottih described ...
Bayelsa discharges two coronavirus patients
The Bayelsa State government has announced that two patients that earlier tested positive for coronavirus in the state have been discharged. Newsmen report that the two patients who had contact with the index case were discharged from the isolation centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) in Okolobiri. A statement signed by the deputy chairman of the state’s COVID-19 taskforce and permanent secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Inodu Apoku, said “the repeat tests of the remaining cases linked to the index case returned negative. “These patients have also met all other NCDC guidelines for discharge. Consequently, they have been discharged today (Saturday). “So there is only one active COVID-19 case in the state after we discharged the index case and the other four linked c...
Casemiro: Football can prove a return to normal is possible
Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro says it is “important” that football can return in Spain and that if it does, it will demonstrate that society can eventually return to normal after the coronavirus pandemic. Football fans had their first top-level live games to watch on Saturday with the return of the Bundesliga and, while the situation around the game was far from normal, the games were a source of entertainment and comfort to plenty. Spanish football is hoping to get the green light to resume as well, with La Liga chief Javier Tebas currently aiming for June 12 as the date when games can go on. “It’s a really significant step, not just for football but for society too, to show people that it is possible,” Casemiro told Real Madrid TV. “It’s not just about playing football, it’s about peop...
Hungary lifts movement restrictions on capital from Monday
Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Saturday that movement restrictions on Budapest residents would be lifted next week. Orban said the Hungarian capital region has made sufficient progress in the fight against the novel coronavirus. Among other things, Budapest residents will be able to leave their homes again from Monday onwards without having to provide a good reason. Shops of all kinds will also be allowed to stay open longer, and restaurants with outdoor seating will be free to receive guests once again. The rest of Hungary has enjoyed the same freedoms for almost two weeks. However, social distance rules and compulsory face masks continue to apply throughout the country. The number of infections in Hungary, and especially in Budapest, has fallen sharply. By Saturday, 3,473 peopl...
Artist urges government to invest in tourism
Mr Femi Adegoke, an artist, has called on the Federal Government to invest more in tourism to diversify and boost the nation’s economy post COVID-19. Adegoke told newsmen in Ilorin on Saturday that the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the fact that the nation cannot survive only on oil proceeds. He said that the nation was blessed with abundant natural sites, adding that government should try and revive the tourism sector. “I don’t know why tourism in Nigeria seems dormant. Every other nation of the earth harness their tourism sites to boost their economy.” “We have very beautiful natural sites in Nigeria, but I don’t know why the government is not developing them into world class tourist attractions.” “It seems to be the least funded and ignored sector in Nigeria. This should not be.” “Ar...
South Sudan registers two new coronavirus deaths
South Sudan has registered two new coronavirus deaths, just a day after recording its first virus related death. The government said that the dead were in their late 50s. Addressing the press on Friday in Juba, Dr Makur Koriom, the spokesman of the High-Level Taskforce says apart from the two deaths, the country also recorded four new Covid-19 cases on Friday. CONFIRMED POSITIVE “Three alerts that were admitted over the last 48 hours were confirmed positive. Unfortunately, the two of these alerts succumbed to their illness before we obtained their results,” Dr Koriom said. “The other alerts were positive, they came in critical conditions, but they were managed and they are now in a stable condition at Dr. John Garang Infectious Disease Unit. This brings the total number of confirmed Covid-...
Enugu NUJ reject government’s palliative
File Photo The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Enugu State Council on Saturday rejected the palliative from Enugu State Government over alleged interference in the union activities. Newsmen report that problem started when the government representatives led by the state Commissioner for Information, Chidi Aroh, announced that the palliative was for the alleged two factions in the union. Mr Aroh said he heard that there were two factions in the union and the items should be shared between them. But the Acting Vice President of NUJ, South East, Zone C, Ken Ofoma, expressed dismay over the Commissioner’s statement saying that there were no factions in the union. “Enugu NUJ remains one family under the leadership of the state chairman, Rex Arum and under the national body led by Chief Chris...
President Buhari gets Madagascar herbal formula
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday at the State House, Abuja, received Covid Organic, the Madagascan native formulation against the COVID-19 pandemic. Samples of the solution were delivered to him by President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau who brought them along as part of the traditional medicine shared to African nations by the government of Madagascar. According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) in Abuja, President Buhari however reiterated that he will listen to science before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians. He said his position on all such herbal or traditional medicinal postulates had remained the same. “We have our institutions, systems and processes in the co...
Odion Ighalo would like to end his career at Manchester United – trainer
According to Odion Ighalo’s personal trainer, the former Super Eagles of Nigeria star would like to remain at Manchester United for the rest of his career. The striker’s future is an uncertain one: he is officially on loan at United until May 31, but the Red Devils are keen to extend this period to allow him to feature if and when the season resumes in the coming weeks. However, Igahlo’s parent club, Shanghai Shenhua, want the player to return to their stable for the start of the next Chinese Super League season. United are also not seeking a permanent deal for the former Super Eagles spearhead. Despite being in this awkward situation, Ighalo’s has remained focused on keeping himself fight and ready for action while under lockdown in Lagos. “He’s a wonderful athlete, I’ve never seen someon...
South Africa’s mass testing hits limits as virus spreads
With an expert flick of the wrist, South African nurse Bhelekazi Mdlalose collected throat swabs from young men lining up for coronavirus testing at a run-down hostel in downtown Johannesburg. Health workers were sent to the overcrowded block of single-room flats — mainly occupied by men from rural areas doing odd jobs in the city — as part of a mass community screening and testing (CST) campaign launched by the government last month. Mdlalose, who is employed by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), left her family and usual job in the northwestern town of Rustenberg in March to support community work in Johannesburg. Aged 51, she trains government health workers to handle suspected coronavirus patients correctly, checking in on CST teams deployed to townships, offices and shopping malls. “We id...
ExxonMobil presents ambulances, other items to support coronavirus response
File Photo Mobil Producing Nigeria, an ExxonMobil affiliate, and operator of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation/Mobil Producing Nigeria Joint Venture has presented two ambulances, 20 additional vehicles and medical supplies to various state governments and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, to assist in the nation’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement obtained by newsmen, the company stated: “The Akwa Ibom State Government is receiving two ambulances for emergency cases and 15 other vehicles, while Rivers State is receiving five vehicles. “Medical supplies, including World Health Organization certified COVID-19 test kits, sample collection kits and hospital beds valued at more than N90 million will be distributed to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,...
