Coronavirus: Ministries ignore safety tips, fail to deploy sanitisers
Eniola Akinkuotu
Ministries and departments within the Federal Capital Territory on Monday ignored safety tips by failing to deploy hand sanitisers to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease, according to reports.
One of our correspondents, who visited the Federal Civil Service Secretariat along Shehu Shagari Way, and the other wing along Ahmadu Bello Way, Central Business District, observed that while there were hand sanitiser dispensers glued to the walls, they were all empty.
The story is the same at the old office of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The dispensers, it was learnt, were installed in 2014 during the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease and had not been refilled ever since.
According to reports that there are at least 10 ministries within the federal secretariat.
They include the ministries of health, labour and employment, police affairs, special duties, education, aviation, sports and youth development, science and technology, Niger Delta and communications.
On the ground floor of Phase 3, Federal Secretariat, an empty hand sanitiser dispenser was seen in front of the elevator.
On the first floor of phase 3, where the Office of the Minister of Health is located, a security guard was seen administering sanitisers only to visitors who intended to visit the minister’s floor.
At the entrance of the ministry where the flags of many countries were hoisted, there were two hand sanitiser dispensers installed on either side. They were also empty when our correspondent attempted to make use of them.
A security guard laughed at attempts by our correspondent to use the dispensers, saying, “There is no sanitiser there. It has been empty for a long time. Are you a new visitor?”
Coronavirus: Death toll rises to 3,116 across 76 countries
The number of novel coronavirus cases in the world rose to 90,914, including 3,116 deaths, across 76 countries and territories by 0900 GMT Tuesday, according to a report gathered by AFP from official sources.
Since 1700 GMT Monday, 763 new contaminations were identified.
Medical workers wearing protective gear transfer a suspected coronavirus patient (C) to another hospital from Daenam Hospital in South Korea. (Photo: AFP)
China – excluding the territories of Hong Kong and Macau — where the epidemic emerged at the end of December, had 80,151 cases, of which 2,943 were fatal. There were 125 new infections and 31 deaths there between 1700 GMT Monday and 0900 GMT Tuesday.
Outside of China, a total of 10,763 cases have been recorded around the world since the epidemic began, including 172 deaths.
There have been 638 new cases outside China since Monday at 1700 GMT.
The most affected countries after China are: South Korea (4,812 cases, 28 deaths, 477 new cases), Italy (2,036 cases, 52 deaths, no new cases), Iran (1,501 cases, 66 deaths, no new cases) and Japan (268 cases, 12 deaths, 14 new cases).
Japan has also recorded more than 700 cases aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess moored off Yokohama.
This assessment was carried out using data collected by AFP offices from the competent national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO).
AFP
Coronavirus: India suspends issuing visas to Italians, Iranians
India on Tuesday suspended with immediate effect all regular visas or e-visas granted to the nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, and Japan issued on or before March 3 to curb COVID-19, said a revised travel advisory.
These visas also included visas-on-arrival for Japan and South Korea, according to the travel advisory.
“Those requiring to travel to India under compelling circumstances may apply for fresh visas to the nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate,” it added.
Diplomats, officials of the UN and other international bodies, Overseas Citizenship of India cardholders and aircrew from the above countries were, however, exempted from such restriction on entry, adding that medical screening is compulsory for them.
Three more cases were detected in India on Monday, including places in Delhi, the southern state of Telangana and the western state of Rajasthan.
Besides, six people who were said to have been in contact with the Delhi case have been kept under watch and their samples were sent for testing.
Earlier, three patients suffering from COVID-19 were successfully cured in February.
According to the advisory, all foreign nationals who have traveled to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, and Japan on or after Feb. 1 have been prohibited from entering India.
“Passengers of all international flights entering into India from any port are required to furnish duly filled self-declaration form and travel history to health officials and immigration officials.
“Passengers (foreign and Indian) other than those restricted, arriving directly or indirectly from a number of countries and regions must undergo medical screening at the port of entry.
“These include China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, China’s Hong Kong, China’s Macau, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, and China’s Taiwan,” it stated.
(Xinhua/NAN)
South Korea declares ‘war’ on Coronavirus as cases exceed 5,000
South Korean President Moon Jae-in declared “war” against the coronavirus on Tuesday, as the country reported its biggest daily case increase to date, sending its total past 5,000 – the largest in the world outside China.
South Korea has seen a rapid rise in infections in recent days and scores of events, from K-pop concerts to sports seasons, have been cancelled or postponed over the contagion, with school and kindergarten breaks extended by three weeks nationwide.
The central bank has warned of a contraction in the first quarter for the world’s 12th-largest economy, noting the epidemic will hit both consumption and exports.
Moon said the government will inject more than 30 trillion won ($25 billion) into the economy to address the “grave” situation brought on by the outbreak.
“The entire country has entered a war with the infectious disease,” Moon said, ordering all government agencies to operate around the clock.
South Korea confirmed 851 new cases Tuesday, taking the national total to 5,186, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, adding that two more people had died, raising the toll to 28.
(AFP)
Pope tests negative for Coronavirus
Pope Francis, who is suffering from a cold, has tested negative for the coronavirus, an Italian newspaper reported Tuesday, as Italy battles Europe’s worst outbreak.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni did not respond to a request for comment on the report in the Messaggero newspaper.
Pope Francis
Francis cancelled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy this weekend, after axing all public meetings at the end of last week over the cold.
The new coronavirus has spread from China across much of the world, with Italy among the worst affected with over 2,000 people infected and 52 deaths.
The 83-year-old pontiff has been seen coughing and blowing his nose, but the Vatican on Sunday quickly shot down speculation that the pope himself had come down with COVID-19.
The Messaggero report did not say when Francis had been tested for the disease.
(AFP)
China reports rise in imported coronavirus cases
China reported on Tuesday an increase in cases of the new coronavirus coming from abroad, as the country where the disease first emerged now worries about importing infections.
In total there have been 13 confirmed cases of the virus being imported into the mainland — all Chinese nationals returning from overseas.
File photo
More than 3,100 people have died and over 90,000 have been infected worldwide.
The vast majority of cases are in China but South Korea, Italy and Iran have emerged as the countries with the most cases outside the epicentre.
Eight Chinese nationals who worked in the same restaurant in Italy’s northern Lombardy region have tested positive for the virus in eastern Zhejiang province, according to the local government.
They flew back into China from Italy last week.
There have also been four confirmed cases travelling back from Iran — two in Beijing and two in the northern Ningxia region — plus one case in the southern city of Shenzhen who had travelled from the UK via Hong Kong.
Beijing has been implementing a series of measures to try and prevent its containment efforts being undone by imported cases carried into the country.
Hundreds of passengers from South Korea arriving in eastern China were placed in isolation after people on two flights were discovered to have fevers last week.
(AFP)
Portugal confirms first covid-19 case
Portugal on Monday confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus, a 60-year-old man who had travelled back from northern Italy, which is the European hotspot for the virus.
A second person hospitalised in Portugal with coronavirus symptoms, a 33-year-old man, was awaiting final test results after initial exams suggested he might be ill with the virus as well.
The second suspected case was a person who had returned from eastern Spain, where several COVID-19 cases have been confirmed.
Portugal’s government said it would extend screening measures to people arriving from Italy, in line with similar precautions already imposed on travellers from China.
Deaths from the coronavirus surpassed a grim milestone Monday, with more than 3,000 people killed globally.
Over 89,000 people have been infected across 68 countries and territories, the lion’s share in China where the virus emerged in late December.
AFP
Group wants coronavirus awareness in pidgin, local languages
A not-for-profit organisation, Christian Empowerment Forum, has emphasised the need for information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) to be in local languages, including the Pidgin English.
The group said spreading information on the signs, symptoms, dangers and preventive measures to adopt against the virus would help curb the spread of the novel disease in Nigeria.
Commuters, wearing facemasks amid fears of the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus (Photo by Mladen ANTONOV/AFP)
The executive director of the group, Ifunnaya Ogbonnaya, while urging the media, governments at all levels and concern organisations to address this, said, “It is the elites of the society that know about the outbreak of Coronavirus before it found its way into the country.
“It is still this exposed group of the society that is being alerted of its presence in the country and on possible ways to prevent it.
“The uneducated and unexposed group of the society may not be getting this information as much as the other group. Especially those in the villages who have no access to television sets, radio sets, smartphones, and even newspapers.”
He advised parents and guidance to educate their children and wards on the virus as well as adhere to all prescribed preventive measures by the World Health Organisation, saying that the job of creating awareness and preventing the spread of the virus could not be left to the government.
(NAN)
Iran supreme leader adviser dies of coronavirus
A member of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, Seyed Mohammad Mir-Mohammadi, died of COVID-19.
His death comes as other top Iranian officials have contracted the virus, Tasnim news agency on Monday reported.
Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi wipes the sweat off his face, during a press conference with the Islamic republic’s government spokesman Ali Rabiei in the capital Tehran on February 24, 2020. – Iran’s deputy health minister confirmed on February 25, that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, amid a major outbreak in the Islamic republic. Harirchi coughed occasionally and appeared to be sweating during the press conference with Rabiei in Tehran. (Photo by MEHDI BOLOURIAN / FARS NEWS / AFP)
The country has the highest death toll in the world, after China.
Iran, along with Italy, has just recently become a new coronavirus hotbed outside of China.
The number of people infected with COVID-19 in the Islamic Republic is approaching 600.
Over 40 people have died from the coronavirus disease in Iran.
Earlier, several Iranian officials fell ill with coronavirus as Iran has become the epicentre of the outbreak in the Middle East.
(Sputnik/NAN)
Iran reports 12 more coronavirus deaths, raising total to 66
Iran said Monday that novel coronavirus had killed 12 more people in the Islamic republic, raising the country’s overall death toll to 66.
The number of confirmed cases leapt by 523 from the previous day to a total of 1,501, Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi told a news conference.
“We are announcing 523 new cases infected (and) 12 new deaths. The total number of deaths is therefore 66,” Raisi said.
The worst-hit places were Tehran, the central province of Qom and Gilan in the north, the official said, adding that 291 people had recovered.
Qom, a Shiite holy city, was the scene of Iran’s first reported cases and deaths from the outbreak that began in China.
The official news agency IRNA reported on Monday the death of Mohammad Mirmohammadi, 72, a member of the Expediency Council which advises the supreme leader.
IRNA did not specify the cause of death but said he had died at Tehran’s Massih Danechvari Hospital, the capital’s main centre for patients suffering from the new coronavirus.
(AFP)
First coronavirus case confirmed in Moscow
Russian authorities on Monday confirmed the first case of coronavirus in Moscow, saying the patient had recently returned from Italy.
The anti-coronavirus task force said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies that the “young man” had fallen ill on February 21 while on vacation to Italy.
The man, who resides outside Moscow, returned to Russia on February 23, and started showing signs of a respiratory viral infection, it said.
He sought medical help and was hospitalised on February 27. Testing confirmed the infection on Monday and his symptoms were not severe, the statement said.
Nearly 90,000 people have been infected in over 60 countries and more than 3,000 people have been killed by COVID-19.
AFP
Merkel stops handshake with minister as Coronavirus cases rise to 150 in Germany
Germany’s interior minister rebuffed Chancellor Angela Merkel’s attempt to shake hands with him on Monday as the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 150 with Berlin reporting its first infection.
When Merkel reached out to greet Horst Seehofer at a meeting on migration in Berlin, he smiled and kept both his hands to himself.
A staff member of the health authorities of the southern federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg demonstrates on a negative sample the test for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, in a laboratory in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on March 2, 2020. (Photo: AFP)
They both laughed and Merkel then threw her hand up in the air before taking a seat.
Health experts have recommended avoiding handshakes as a way of preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
There are now 150 confirmed cases in Germany, Lothar Weiler of the Robert Koch Institute disease control agency said on Monday morning — up from 129 the previous day.
Discussion about this post