Presidential Steering Committee
NCDC: Confirmed case of Delta variant of coronavirus detected in Nigeria
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on Thursday, said it had detected a confirmed case with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, also known as lineage B.1.617.2. The variant was detected in a traveller to Nigeria following the routine travel test required of all international travelers and genomic sequencing at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory, Abuja. The Delta variant is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a variant of concern, given its increased transmissibility. Facts indicated that the variant has been detected in over 90 countries and is expected to spread to more countries. The variant has also been linked to a surge in cases in countries where it is the dominant strain in circulation. According to NCDC, “there are ongoing studies to understand the impact ...
Nigeria records 63 new coronavirus cases
Nigeria on Friday recorded 63 new coronavirus infections in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The new figure raised the total number of infections in the country to 166,254, an update published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Friday night indicates. According to the update, no new death was recorded from the virus, which has already claimed 2,071 lives in the country. The data shows that the new COVID-19 cases were reported in seven states and Abuja. Lagos recorded 25 cases, closely followed by Ondo with 22. Rivers State reported six while Akwa Ibom and Kaduna reported three each. Also, Kwara State reported two while Ebonyi and FCT reported one each. A breakdown of the data shows that 11 people were discharged on Friday after testing negative for the vi...
Coronavirus: Nigerian government declares 90 travellers ‘persons of interest’ for violating protocol
The presidential steering committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has declared 90 travellers as ‘persons of interest’ for violating the protocol for passengers arriving Nigeria from selected countries. The federal government had mandated travellers who arrived Nigeria within 14 days of visiting Brazil, Turkey and India, to embark on isolation. The directive was given in view of increase in the spread of the virus in the affected countries. In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, the PSC said it will also sanction the travellers by disabling their passports for at least one year, while foreigners will have their visas cancelled. The affected travellers — who arrived Nigeria from Brazil, India and Turkey between May 8 and May 15 through...
‘Coronavirus restriction’: Nigerian government quoted out of context – minister
The federal government on Tuesday denied media reports that it has “introduced or re-introduced’’ new restrictions on COVID-19. Information minister Lai Mohammed made the rebuttal at a meeting with online publishers in Lagos. Mohammed said there were no new restrictions, adding that the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 only reiterated existing regulations to control spread of the disease. The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 had on Monday announced the enforcement of a curfew across the country in a move it said was to forestall a possible new wave of the pandemic. “The nationwide curfew will be imposed tonight at midnight and it will run through till 4:00 a.m.,” the committee stated. But the minister, a member of the steering committee, said the committee’s national ...
Boss Mustapha: Nationwide curfew not re-introduced
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee, (PSC) on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, has clarified misrepresentation in the briefing of the PSC on Monday. Mustapha, who spoke to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, said it was erroneously reported that the federal government had re-introduced nationwide curfew between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. as part of the COVID-19 safety protocols. He, however, said the announcement by the National Incident Manager, Dr. Mukhtar Mohammed, during the PSC press briefing was taken out of context because the federal government did not relax the curfew imposed earlier under Phase Three of the eased lockdown. Rather, he explained that what Mohammed said was that the federal government was maintaining the curfew und...
Senate faults PTF conversion to PSC, laments doctors strike
The Senate Committee on Health said on Thursday that the Presidency should have consulted the National Assembly before converting the the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to the Presidential Steering Committee. The panel also expressed surprise that the National Association of Resident Doctors embarked on strike despite the fact that their demands had been met by the Federal Government. Chairman of the Senate panel, Yahaya Oloriegbe, stated these during a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Mubi, Adamawa State. Oloriegbe said, “I was listening to the radio yesterday (Wednesday) and I heard that the PTF (on COVID-19) has been converted to a steering committee. “We were not consulted in terms of what will be the operational mechanism and so on. “I am ...