Author: Chronicle Editor

Italy has recorded 919 new coronavirus deaths, its highest daily figure in the outbreak so far. It means 9,134 people have now died from the virus in the country. Earlier World Health Organization chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said a “chronic global shortage” of protective equipment was one of the “most urgent threats” to the ability to save lives. Italy is the worst-affected in Europe. Almost everything has been closed and people told to stay at home. Earlier on Friday, authorities warned that restrictions were likely to be extended beyond 3 April. What is the latest from Italy? The northern…

President Donald Trump has signed the largest-ever US financial stimulus package, worth $2tn (£1.7tn), as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. The House of Representatives passed the cross-party bill two days after the Senate debated its provisions. On Wednesday the number of Americans filing for unemployment surged to a record high of 3.3 million people. The US has more confirmed cases of coronavirus than any other country, with more than 100,000 positive tests. No Democratic lawmakers were invited to the historic signing ceremony, which was held at the White House, though the president thanked both parties “for coming together,…

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has unveiled economic stimulus package for the indigent and the most vulnerable days after the Lagos State Government issued a stay-at-home directive to residents to curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The stimulus, which comes in food packs, to be distributed to every local government in the State is aimed at cushioning the effect of the fourteen days stay-at-home directive. Speaking after an on-the-spot assessment of one of the State-owned food banks, located inside the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Agege, Sanwo-Olu said the economic stimulus will reduce the burden of the temporary…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced that 11 new cases of coronavirus have been discovered in Nigeria late Friday night. The disease control centre explained that 11 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Nigeria with eight case in Lagos. NCDC added that, “There are two in Enugu and 1 in Edo State.” “As at 11:55pm 27th March, there are 81 confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in Nigeria. Three have been discharged with one death. Nigeria coronavirus cases reach 70 with five in Abuja, Oyo NCDC confirmed that there 81 cases in Nigeria. “Eighty-one confirmed cases…

Sterling Bank, one of Nigeria’s biggest financial lenders, has donated N250 million to support the Federal Government’s effort to curtail the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. This was disclosed in a statement sent by Abubakar Suleiman, the Chief Executive of Sterling Bank, on Friday to all the Bank’s customers to also support the Federal Government by contributing their quota. According to the financial institution, the donation is part of its contribution to the Bankers’ Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to combat the epidemic, adding that it is also working with the newly formed…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Friday has announced five new cases of coronavirus in Nigeria taking the total confirmed cases to 70. The NCDC explained that three of the five cases were recorded in the Federal Capital Territory and two in Oyo state. The epicenter of coronavirus, Lagos recorded no new cases as at the last announcement. “As at 08:00 pm 27th March there are 70 cases of confirmed COVID-19 reported Nigeria. Three have been discharged with one death. 14 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Lagos, Abuja “There are 70 confirmed cases, three discharged and one…

The US Department of State announced on Thursday night that it is looking to hire international medical staff to handle the increasing number of coronavirus cases. “We encourage medical professionals seeking work in the US on a work or exchange visitor visa (H or J), particularly those working on #COVID19 issues, to contact the nearest US Embassy/ Consulate for a visa appointment,” a tweet by the Bureau of Consular Affairs said. The US is now the coronavirus infection capital of the world, after surpassing China and Italy last night, with 85,991 confirmed cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins…

The Uyo Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, March 26, 2020 arraigned the trio of Edwin Edet Etim, Joseph Essien Samuel and Moses Asuquo Effiong before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. They were arraigned on two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N6,000,000 (Six Million Naira). The defendants ran into troubled waters on January 3, 2020 when the zone received a petition dated December 20, 2019 from one Dr. Emmanuel Etuk, who alleged that he paid the said…

Kenyan media report that a woman who was being quarantined in the western city of Nakuru has taken her own life. Health workers found her dead at the Kenya Industrial Training Institute facility where she was being held, having apparently hung herself, local media say. Local government officials also state that initial police investigations are “pointing to suicide”. The woman was said to be in her 20s. Nakuru county officials confirmed she arrived in Kenya from South Africa on Wednesday. They are not naming her until they have contacted her next of kin. Couple arrested for calling coronavirus a hoax…

Police in Tanzania’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam are holding a couple for allegedly spreading false information about coronavirus. Dar es Salaam’s police chief Lazaro Mambosasa said that the husband and wife ridiculed the government while they were on public transport last week. He said that the couple were misleading the public. “They said that coronavirus is a hoax and that the government has run out of food to feed students, and so it’s using the pandemic as a cover up to close schools, colleges and universities,” Mr Mambosasa told journalists. According to the police chief, after hearing those comments,…