BREAKING: Nigeria Records 184 New COVID-19 Cases

“51 in Lagos, 23 in Jigawa, 16 in Bauchi, 16 in Katsina, 14 in Kano, 10 in FCT, 10 in Rivers, nine in Kwara, five in Delta, five in Kaduna, four in Sokoto, four in Oyo, three in Kebbi, three in Nasarawa, three in Osun, two in Ondo, one in Ebonyi, one in Edo, one in Enugu, one in Anambra, one in Plateau and one in Niger.”

It said, “184 new cases of #COVID19; 51 in Lagos, 23 in Jigawa, 16 in Bauchi, 16 in Katsina, 14 in Kano, 10 in FCT, 10 in Rivers, nine in Kwara, five in Delta, five in Kaduna, four in Sokoto, four in Oyo, three in Kebbi, three in Nasarawa, three in Osun, two in Ondo, one in Ebonyi, one in Edo, one in Enugu, one in Anambra, one in Plateau and one in Niger.
“4971 cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria, discharged: 1070, deaths: 164.”

Coronavirus May Never Go Away, Says World Health Organisation

Mike Ryan, an Executive Director with the World Health Organisation, says the virus may just become one of the viruses around the world that kill people annually.

Coronavirus may never go away and populations around the world will have to learn to live with it, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday.
Mike Ryan, an Executive Director with the World Health Organisation, says the virus may just become one of the viruses around the world that kill people annually.
The virus first emerged in Wuhan, China, late last year and has since infected more than 4.2 million people worldwide.

He said, “We have a new virus entering the human population for the first time and therefore it is very hard to predict when we will prevail over it.
“This virus just may become another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away. HIV hasn’t gone away.
“I’m not comparing the two diseases but I think it is important that we’re realistic. I don’t think anyone can predict when or if this disease will disappear
“HIV has not gone away — but we have come to terms with the virus.”

E-Money leaves police custody after six-hour interrogation

E- Money, it was learnt , arrived at the Police Headquarters Annex , Kam Salem , Obalende, Ikoyi, around 1pm in a wine -coloured suit .
He was subsequently grilled for about six hours by the Inspector- General of Police, Monitoring Department.
A top source said , “ E -Money visited the Force HQ annex today and met with police detectives and was grilled for about six hours . He came along with two others and responded to many questions . Somebody took his bail and he was allowed to leave and return on Wednesday for more questioning. ”
The IG , Mohammed Adamu , had placed E- Money under investigation over his flamboyant lifestyle and alleged flagrant abuse of police escorts, The PUNCH gathered .
Okonkwo , who is the brother to musician, Kingsley Okonkwo aka K – Cee , was said to have drawn the ire of the police boss for allegedly using policemen like domestic servants .
An order , it was learnt , was immediately handed to the Lagos State Police Command to withdraw the six policemen attached to E- Money.
A top police officer said , “ We received a signal from the Force headquarters on Monday that the police detail of music executive, E – Money, be immediately withdrawn and an investigation into the man be launched.

“ The IG was surprised that policemen were attached to him in the first place and were being used like domestic servants , carrying umbrellas, opening doors and doing menial jobs for him .
“ The policemen were discovered to be attached to B Operations at the command headquarters and not MOPOL which is the usual practice. So , we have withdrawn his policemen and we are inviting him for questioning. The policemen will also be interrogated . ”

Governors meet today to review COVID-19 strategy

Governors of the 36 states of the federation, under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum , are set to hold their 8th teleconference to review the COVID -19 situation in states as well as develop strategies on how best to quickly overcome the effects of the pandemic .
The Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation , Mr Mele Kyari , is also expected to participate in the meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday.
This was contained in an invitation from the Director General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum , Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru , to the governors .
According to the invitation , issues to be discussed at the meeting include : “ an update from the Presidential Task Force, on Covid-19, a new initiative code- named CACOVID – Volunteer Health Workers Support Scheme to States , which includes a consideration for a CACOVID – Healthcare Training Proposal among others . ”
Okauru also said , “ The state governors will also take a peek into the CACOVID Distribution of palliatives and also receive a feedback from states . It is expected to get an update on the lockdown and see whether or not the palliatives have made any impact on the citizenry.
“ The governors will also discuss the NCDC Bill , 2020 among other matters , apart from taking a critical look at the nation ’ s economic sustainability plan, Post-Covid-19.
“The NNPC GMD , Mr Mele Kyari, is also expected to join the meeting to discuss the intervention and coordination efforts of the NNPC since the outbreak of the pandemic . The meeting is to start at 2 pm .”

US records 1.3m COVID-19 cases, 82,246 deaths

The United States recorded 1, 894 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours , bringing the total to 82, 246, according to the real – time tally by Johns Hopkins University at 8:30 pm Tuesday ( 0030 GMT Wednesday) .
The figure was a sharp rise after daily tolls fell below 1, 000 on Sunday and Monday .
The country — hardest hit by the pandemic in terms of the number of fatalities — has now confirmed a total of 1, 367, 927 cases , the Baltimore -based school reported .

BREAKING: Buhari Appoints 75-year-old Former External Affairs Minister, Gambari, As Chief Of Staff

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a former Minister of External Affairs, Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, as his Chief of Staff.

The new Chief of Staff was born on November 24, 1944 in Ilorin, Kwara State and served as Minister for External Affairs between 1984 and 1985.

He holds the record of being the longest serving Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (January 1990 to October 1999), and altogether served under five Heads of State and President. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari

He was subsequently appointed by the former Secretary-General of United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, and the chairperson of the African Union Commission as Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative for Darfur in January 2010.

Gambari was once rejected by people of the Niger Delta due to his role when he served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the UN.

He was alleged to have supported the execution of popular environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and the annulment of June 12, 1993 election.

On March 4, 2013, he was named by the Kwara State governor, AbdulFatah Ahmad, as the pioneer Chancellor of the Kwara State University.

Gambari attended King’s College, Lagos. He subsequently attended the London School of Economics where he obtained his B.Sc. (Economics) degree (1968) with specialisation in International Relations.

He later obtained his M.A. (1970) and Ph. D. (1974) degrees from Columbia University, New York, USA, in Political Science/International Relations.

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WHO meets African traditional medicine experts for COVID-19 cure

The World Health Organisation says it met with 70 traditional medicine experts in a bid to find a cure for the coronavirus pandemic.
WHO African Region made this known via its Twitter handle on Tuesday.
The health organisation said an agreement was reached with the herbal medicine experts on clinical trials of their remedies.
The PUNCH reports that the meeting is coming days after Madagascar said it found an herbal remedy capable of curing the disease .
@ WHOAFRO tweeted , “ 70 traditional medicine experts from countries across #Africa held a virtual meeting with @ WHO on the role of traditional medicine in the #COVID 19 response.
“ They unanimously agreed that clinical trials must be conducted for all medicines in the Region, without exception . ”
Earlier, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina criticised WHO and other international organisations for allegedly scorning local “ remedy” for COVID -19.
“ If it wasn ’ t Madagascar , and if it was a European country that had actually discovered this remedy, would there be so much doubt? I don’ t think so , ” he told French media in an interview.
Before the meeting , WHO had repeatedly warned that the COVID -Organics infusion , which Rajoelina has touted as a remedy against the deadly coronavirus , has not been clinically tested.
But Madagascar claimed the drink is derived from artemisia – a plant with proven anti -malarial properties – and other indigenous herbs .
Already Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau , Niger , and Tanzania have taken delivery of consignments of the potion , which was launched last month.
Also , Nigeria ’ s president , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , has approved the importation of the remedy.

Wuhan to test 11m population after fresh COVID-19 cases

Wuhan plans to conduct coronavirus tests on the Chinese city ’ s entire population after fresh cases emerged for the first time in weeks in the cradle of the global pandemic , state media reported Tuesday.
Officials had been ordered to submit by noon on Tuesday plans to administer nucleic acid tests on all residents in the city of 11 million people , according to an official notice carried by news outlets.
“ Each district should make plans and arrangements to conduct nucleic acid tests on the entire population in its jurisdiction within a 10- day time limit , ” the notice said , although it was unclear when testing would begin .
The planned tests come after Wuhan reported the first cluster of new COVID – 19 infections since the city re -opened after a 76- day lockdown on April 8.
Six new cases were reported on Sunday and Monday from a residential compound in Dongxihu District .
But an official from the Dongxihu District epidemic prevention and control commanding office told AFP that they have “ not yet received news about this notice ” .
China has largely brought the virus under control, but it has been on edge about being hit by a second wave as it has lifted lockdowns and restrictions across the country.
Virus clusters have appeared in recent weeks in the northeastern provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang , which border Russia .
With the virus taking hold in other nations, China has barred most foreigners from entering the country.
Wuhan has reported 3, 869 deaths since the novel coronavirus first emerged there in December , accounting for most fatalities in China . Scientists believe the virus jumped from animals to humans at a market that sold wildlife in the city .

BREAKING: President Buhari Directs Presidential Task Force On COVID-19 To Pick Up Madagascar’s Herbal Cure For Virus

resident Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to pick up Madagascar’s herbal drug –COVID Organics – from Equatorial Guinea.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, made this known on Monday.

Mustapha said Nigeria’s consignment had been sent to Equatorial Guinea from where it will be airlifted to Abuja. 

For ease of transportation, African countries were divided into zones leading to the freighting of Nigeria’s consignments to Equatorial Guinea.

He also said the products would be subjected to validation process after they had been picked up.

Mustapha had on April 28, 2020 said the nation was ready to give Madagascar’s herbal remedy a trial.

He said, “I want to assure you that whatever is happening in the world, we are mindful of it and we are keeping a tab.

“I was reading of the experiences in Madagascar– of why everybody is drinking some solutions that have been prepared.

“This morning I was sharing with my wife and I told her that probably I would request that Mr President allows us import a plane load for a trial.” 

Global experts skeptical of Chinese-lab origin theory

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The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has been repeatedly suggesting the virus was created in a laboratory in Wuhan. But scientists and virologists across the globe have reached consensus that COVID-19 evolved in nature.

“Look, the best experts so far seem to think it’s man-made, I have no reason to disbelieve that at this point,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last Sunday backed Donald Trump’s theory that the novel coronavirus came from a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan. He cited “the best experts,” but many of the best experts don’t agree.

On Monday, Doctor Anthony Fauci, the most prominent member of the U.S. task force against COVID-19, stated “the virus could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) also dismissed the assertion by the Trump administration as “speculative.” Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO Health Emergencies Program, said on Monday during a briefing, “We haven’t received any data or specific evidence from the U.S. government related to the reported origin of the virus, so from our perspective this remains speculative.”

Italian Professor Fabrizio Pregliasco has been studying virology for nearly 30 years. Back in March, he refuted the rumor that coronavirus was man-made in a lab. He still believes that the coronavirus is of natural origin, “Either resources from the database, or studies of individual cases, show that the virus is a result of natural evolution.” He also said the biology of the latest coronavirus is complex and it takes time for scientists to piece together how COVID-19 operates.

Professor Ian Jones of the University of Reading, agrees about an animal origin, “My view is very clear. It does not come from the Wuhan laboratory. And the reason for that is that the genetic sequence of the virus has been determined and it’s quite clearly an animal virus. If it’s an engineered virus, it would have some marks that show the points where the engineering had been done. But that is not the case.”

On Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai called for a science-based investigation. “About the origin of the virus, there are many claims at the moment. However, the common view by scientists is that the virus is of natural origin, rather than coming from any lab. I hope we can all believe in facts and science.”