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The Trump administration has deployed a team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to Guatemala to “review and validate” the country’s coronavirus testing after officials there reported more than 70 deportees on two recent flights from the U.S. were infected, according to authorities in both countries. At the same time, Guatemalan officials said on Thursday they have indefinitely suspended deportations from the U.S. About 30 deportees on a March 26 flight from Arizona and 44 more on a flight on Monday from Texas tested positive soon after arriving in the Central American country, Guatemalan officials said.…

In an attempt to track its index coronavirus case, the Abia Government, on Friday, declared one Vincent Prosper, suspected of having contracted the disease, wanted. The state Commissioner for Information, Chief Okeiyi Kalu, made the declaration in a statement in Aba. Kalu alleged that Prosper, suspected to have contracted the disease from a neighbouring state, sneaked into Abia, and had since gone underground. He said the man was wanted by the state Ministry of Health and the state inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19. Kalu, who is also the Secretary to the committee, said that Prosper was last seen around 153, Azikiwe…

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on Friday directed shipping companies to suspend demurrage charges during the period of COVID-19 lockdown. The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, made the announcement in a statement in Lagos. According to him, the suspension applies to cargo that is discharged at the terminals from March 30. “In line with the presidential directive that port operations are essential services, NSC has been monitoring activities to ensure that seaports run efficiently and smoothly within the present circumstances. “It also ensures that the port runs in compliance with the existing health and safety guidelines for…

The Jigawa Government on Friday said that a COVID-19 case rumoured to have been confirmed by the state actually belonged to Kano State. Dr Abba Zakari, the Chairman of the Task Force on the COVID-19, made the clarification at a press conference in Dutse. Zakari said that the speculated case was recorded in Kano State. “In spite of the fact that the patient is an indigene of Jigawa, his sample was taken in Kano; the sample was among the 21 cases confirmed positive by Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Kano. “Some days ago, two persons returning from the…

The Kaduna State Ministry of Health has announced the discharge of three patients who recovered from Covid-19. The three patients are among the six persons that tested positive for Covid-19 in the state. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Baloni, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Kaduna. Baloni said they had each tested negative for two consecutive tests and had been discharged. “This brings to four the number of persons Kaduna state discharged this week. There are now only two cases of Covid-19 that are yet to be discharged and we look forward to being able to…

The Oyo State Government says wearing face masks in public places is now compulsory. Gov. Seyi Makinde announced this on Friday in Ibadan while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State COVID-19 Taskforce meeting held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan. Makinde, who noted that the directive was one of the measures to prevent, curtail and control the spread of coronavirus, said that the State COVID-19 Taskforce had reached a decision to implement the measure. “If you must leave your house to any public place, then you must wear a face mask,” he said. He also said the state…

The Ogun government has relaxed the total lockdown imposed on the state by President Muhammad Buhari. Gov Dapo Abiodun made this known while addressing journalists on Friday in his Iperu-Remo residence. The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) reports that the President had, on March 30, announced the lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory for two weeks to curb the Coronavirus pandemic. He also announced the extension of the lockdown for another two weeks in a nationwide broadcast on April 12. The governor, however, said that the decision to relax the lockdown order was due to the need…

Nigerians resident in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province of China, will soon be evacuated after an investigation confirmed that they are being maltreated, foreign affairs minister Geoffrey Onyeama said on Friday in Abuja. The minister, while briefing the media, said that the decision became necessary “following new revelations over the situation after speaking to the Nigerian officials in Guangzhou”. “Quite a number of Nigerians in the region indicated interest to return to Nigeria. We are putting in place, as quickly as possible, the mechanisms of bringing them home. That is the immediate solution to their plight.” The Minister explained that following the…

Labour unions in Kaduna State have rejected plans by the state government to deduct 25 per cent of workers’ salaries to contribute to the state’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the state Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe had in a state broadcast on April 9, announced that modalities were being worked out for all employees of the state to contribute to the Covid-19 Emergency Fund. Some heads of the labour unions confirmed to NAN that the Head of Civil Service of the State, Mrs Bariyatu Mohammed had met with labour leaders on April 14…

Akwa Ibom Government, in partnership with the Ini Ememobong Foundation and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), has started fumigating strategic places across the state to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Mr Prince Ikim, the Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), monitored the exercise in Eket Local Government Area on Friday. Ikim said the fumigation of the public places was in collaboration with other partners, including Hensek Integrated Services Limited and Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Path Initiative (FEYREP). According to him, the exercise was done in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.…