Chidi Samuel| As President Muhammadu Buhari approved a gradual phased withdrawal of the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun, FCT and a two week shut down of Kano, the country on Tuesday confirmed 64 new cases of the novel coronavirus infections on Monday.
According to the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control in a Tweet on its verified twitter handle, the new infections were recorded in Lagos, FCT, Bornu, Taraba and Gombe.
The tweet read, ”64 new cases of #COVID19 reported;
34-Lagos
15-FCT
11-Borno
2-Taraba
2-Gombe
”As at 11:20pm 27th April- 1337 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria”.
Discharged: 255
-Atiku’s son recovers from COVID-19 after 40 days in hospital
Meanwhile, the son of Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Mohammed Abubakar, on Monday said he has recovered from coronavirus after 40 days of treatment at a hospital in Abuja.
Mohammed Abubakar tested tested positive for the disease in March.
The son of the former vice president in statement said his experience as a coronavirus patient humbled him as he never thought he would be a victim of the ravaging virus.
While thanking the federal ministry of health and other frontline health workers for their sacrifices and professionalism during his time in isolation, he, however, noted that the pandemic revealed the weakness in “our health sector” and brought the poor and the powerful to a common level.
He said, “I, Mohammed Atiku Abubakar, wish to inform Nigerians that I have finally been cleared and discharged after 40 days of coronavirus (Covid19) treatment.”
“My discharge could not have come at a better time than in the Ramadan, a season marked by sacrifice and supplication to the Almighty Allah.
“I thank the Almighty Allah for my recovery from the dreaded infection and also wish to express my sincerest and deepest appreciation to Nigerians for their prayers and goodwill while I was being treated.
“In the course of life, we have no idea of what will happen to us because only the Almighty God knows our future. When the coronavirus first broke out in faraway China, I had no idea that I might be one of those to be infected. This is one of the everlasting lessons I can’t forget for the rest of my life. Indeed, I have been humbled by this experience.”
“The coronavirus has caught the world off guard and sent us reeling for solutions. It also reveals the weaknesses of our health systems in the developing world. It’s an eye-opening experience for Nigeria and other developing nations,” he said.
“Thanks to coronavirus outbreak, we are now coming to terms with the necessity of adequate funding of our healthcare system. This disease has brought the rich, the poor and the powerful to a common level. This is the time our policymakers should reset our national priorities and give our health system adequate attention. No investment in our health sector is too much.
“No less important, our policymakers should also adequately fund research in vaccines and other drugs because of the uncertainties and challenges like the coronavirus. Once again, thank you for your support and prayers, may Allah show up for you at your appointed time of need.”
-Tinubu’s CSO died of COVID-19, autopsy reveals
Also on Monday, it was revealed that the late chief security officer (CSO) to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lateef Raheem, died of COVID-19, related complications.
The media office of the national leader of the ruling All Congress Party made the disclosure in a statement on Monday.
According to the statement, another aide tested positive and has been isolated while his contacts are now being traced.
The statement, however, said the former lagos state governor and his wife, Remi, have both tested negative to the disease.
The late CSO to Tinubu died in the early hours of Friday after falling ill during the week, samples from his body were taken before his burial last Friday to ascertain if he died of the ravaging infection.
Samples were also taken from Tinubu, his household and staff for tests as a precaution.
The full statement from Tinubu’s media office is published below…
Covid-19 is a real and present threat. Those of us who discount it or claim it is a fabrication do a grave and dangerous disservice to the public well-being. Likewise, those who stigmatise people who may have been stricken by the virus also do a disservice by casting blame on the innocent and discouraging people from taking the COVID test. We cannot defeat this health menace through ignorance or by shaming one another. We can only beat it through transparency, knowledge, and compassion. This, we have learned first-hand.
Following the death of our well-respected and beloved Chief Security Officer, Alhaji Lateef Raheem, NCDC medics took the wise precaution of taking samples from his body for testingto actually determine the cause of death.Today, the test results are back. The samples tested positive for Covid-19.
As a precautionary measure taken soon after the death of Alhaji Raheem, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and all their aides took COVID-19 tests Saturday, April 25. The results of the tests were returned this morning.
Test results for both Asiwaju and Senator Tinubu were negative.
The results of one aide were positive. The rest of the staff was negative. The one staff member has been isolated in accordance with NCDC guidelines. Further contact tracing and COVID-19 tests are being conducted by the NCDC with regard to the relatives and possible contacts of that staff member.
Asiwaju has stressed that openness and transparency must be observed if we are to defeat this disease. There is no house immune to its entry. Contracting the virus should not bring social or moral stigma any more than contracting malaria or a common cold.
We cannot overcome this challenge by acting like it does not exist or by trying to conceal that someone may have it due to social shame. The culture of denial is counterproductive and will do great harm in our current situation.
Asiwaju asks that you not be afraid to be tested if you have any symptoms or if you believe you may have come in contact with someone who has been infected. We must do all we can to contain the spread of the virus and to well treat those of us who have been hit by it.
As you go about your day, we know you must find daily sustenance. Yet, please continue to do all you can to maintain social distance and to take all other public health measures to protect yourself and others. In this way, we all may contribute to halt the spread of this dangerous virus.
Tinubu Media Office,
Tunde Rahman.
April 27, 2020.
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