Author: straightnewsng.com

The worldwide number of fatalities from the novel coronavirus rose to 63,437 on Saturday, according to a tally compiled by AFP at 1900 GMT from official sources. More than 1,169,210 declared cases have been registered in 190 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. Of these cases, at least 219,000 are now considered recovered. The tallies, using data collected by AFP offices from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. Many countries are only testing cases that require hospitalisation. A total…

By Akanimo Sampson Deaths from the rampaging coronavirus in the United States have hit 7,381, and four so far in Nigeria. A total of 28,667 new cases and 1,094 deaths were reported on Friday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. This includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as all repatriated cases. Wyoming is the only state not reporting a death from the killer virus. The US has the world’s largest outbreak of the virus, with more than 275,000 infections, with Italy, the next most hard-hit country has about…

By: Akanimo Sampson Twenty-three migrants have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Ritsona open accommodation site in Central Greece. Worried, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is expressing serious concern on the development. The IOM-managed camp, which hosts 2,700 people, reported its first confirmed case on Tuesday. Chief of IOM’s Mission in Greece, Gianluca Rocco, says “this development confirms the fact that this fast-moving virus does not discriminate and can affect both migrant and local communities. Everyone is at risk. Migrants and refugees in Greece are susceptible to the virus as much as the Greek community.” The Ritsona site is one of 30 open…

Two COVID-19 patients have died in Lagos and Edo States, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed. NCDC, through its verified Twitter account on Friday night, however, did not give further details about the patient’s sex or medical history. It added that 20 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 210, while 25 patients have been discharged and four deaths recorded. The NCDC said that of the 20 new cases, Lagos has 11, Abuja and Edo has three cases each; Osun- two and Ondo State has one…

By Akanimo Sampson More than 50,000 human lives have so far been lost to the rampaging coronavirus pandemic globally after Italy announced 760 new fatalities in 24 hours. In Nigeria, 10 new cases have been recorded with the total national figures now 184. The figure is rising on a daily basis. However, the good news in Nigeria is that 11 more people have recovered from the killer virus and have been discharged in Lagos State. With that, the total number of people discharged in the country is 20, with two deaths recorded. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State announced this…

Some people in Akwa Ibom have bashed the state Commissioner for Health over his attack, disclaiming the coronavirus pandemic cases on the state published by a Federal agency. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had on Wednesday, April 1, announced five coronavirus cases in Akwa Ibom. In a press release dated April 2, entitled: AKWA IBOM STATE COVID 19 UPDATE 3.0, Dr. Dominic Ukpong reacted “We observed a disturbing breach in the test and reporting procedure, Akwa Ibom State Government only heard about the test results in the news; the Director-General of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was…

By Akanimo Sampson Despite the rising food prices in Nigeria largely due to the coronavirus lockdown, in other parts of the world, food prices are on the downward slope. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says world food prices declined sharply in March, driven mostly by demand-side contractions linked to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the drop in global oil prices due mostly to expectations of economic slowdown as governments roll out restrictions designed to respond to the health crisis. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly traded food commodities, averaged…

Akwa Ibom Government has announced the prohibition of movements and hosting of events for 14 days in the state beginning from Friday, April 3. This is to enable the government to carry out a thorough process of contact and trace persons who may have been exposed to the five victims confirmed by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). In a statewide broadcast Thursday afternoon, Governor Udom Emmanuel explained that the Covid- 19 suspects, mostly healthcare professionals who are in good health with no symptoms, have been moved to the state isolation centres for proper management. “There will be no movement…

By Akanimo Sampson Sustainable water system technologies are substantially improving lives in the rural areas of Kenya. At Mukurwe-ini Technical Training Institute, Kenya’s Nyeri county, its motto “technology to empower humanity” has become reality. In this rural area, the lives of students, staff and surrounding communities have opened up a brighter future for many. Successes like theirs are what this year’s World Water Day celebration is all about. For years, water had been a real problem for the Institute and the neighbouring farming communities. The pre-existing distribution system was gravity-fed, forcing the Institute, located at the top of a hill, to…

By Akanimo Sampson Businesses now have new guidelines to help them support working families during this raging coronavirus crisis. Two United Nations agencies- the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)- issued the guidelines. The preliminary guidance urges employers to consider the impact of business decisions on workers’ families and to support greater social protection wherever possible. They say that extra support, particularly for those on low incomes, is essential to minimise the negative consequences of the outbreak for workers, employers, their families and children. Finding safe childcare, juggling work and care responsibilities at home, and…