Hydroxychloroquine linked to higher risk of death in coronavirus patients and other COVID-19 updates across Nigeria
Our fight against COVID-19 has continued. We have had people and organisations taking up the mantle and doing what they can to beat the coronavirus. It is in this light that we bring you updates, and the issues around COVID-19:
Buhari says Nigeria has no money to import food
President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria no longer has money to import food owing to the impact of COVID-19 on the nation’s economy.
While speaking with journalists during the Eid celebrations at the state house on Sunday, the president described the impact of the virus as “frightening”.
“Nigerians can see that the COVID-19 has reduced us, both the developing and developed countries, to the same level,” he said.
How coronavirus impacts buyers in real estate market
Notwithstanding the positive outlook for the Nigerian property market in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on the market, leaving property investments in disarray. With the disruption, home buyers are still hesitant to buy. For them, the period was not ripe to invest as they don’t know how long the pandemic will last and are adopting a survival strategy.
According to survey by Forbes, the property purchasing rate in Nigeria drastically reduced by 80 per cent. As the lockdown keeps escalating and another 54 per cent of respondents reported difficulties in getting building materials for homes.
‘Hydroxychloroquine linked to higher risk of death in coronavirus patients’
Hydroxychloroquine which President Donald Trump once touted as a solution to coronavirus is not as effective after all, according to an observational study of nearly 100,000 coronavirus patients who received antimalarial drugs-including hydroxychloroquine.
The study found that the patients on whom the drug was applied had an increased risk of death or cardiac issue.
The findings, published yesterday in medical journal, The Lancet, surveyed 96,000 coronavirus patients across six continents.
‘Poor health facilities affecting COVID-19 fight’
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has decried poor health facilities in the Niger Delta region saying the deplorable situation was a major constraint in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Acting Managing Director of the commission, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, also observed that the ongoing anti-Coronavirus measures, including lockdowns of states contributed in dwindling the economy of the region.
Pondei spoke at the weekend in a brief ceremony organised by the NDDC to begin distribution of medical supplies and relief materials to states in the region to contain the spread of the virus.
British Flairjet to pay N1 million penalty for Nigeria’s airport violation
A British private charter company, FlairJet is to pay N1 million for violating COVID-19 airport directives in Nigeria.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made the disclosure on Sunday via his verified twitter handle.
“Flairjet were found to violate our civil aviation regulations IS 1.3.3(a) Table 2(IV) 7(a) and IS 1.3.3 (a) Table 2 (VIII) (4).
“The maximum penalty for each is N500, 000.
“We caused them to pay and reported their callous misdemeanour to UK CAA, MFA and the UK High Commission,” the minister said.
