The religious channel, Loveworld, owned by Nigerian Pastor, Chris Oyakhilome has been slapped with a sanction by the Office of Communications in the United Kingdom better known as Ofcom.
This was contained in a statement issued by Ofcom on Wednesday, March 31, which revealed that the station was fined £125,000 (N65.6m) for breaching the country’s broadcasting code by disseminating misinformation on COVID-19.
The statement read in part, “Today we have fined Loveworld £125,000 for this breach of the broadcasting code. This was the second time in a year that the broadcaster breached our rules on accuracy in news and harm in its coverage of the coronavirus.”
Ripples Nigeria had reported in December 2020, about the broadcast of a 29-hour programme by Loveworld called the Global Day of Prayer, during which claims were made about the COVID-19.
According to the agency, these claims included the notion that the outbreak was ‘planned’, that the ‘sinister’ vaccine can be used to implant ‘nanochips’ that can control and cause harm to members of the public, and the debunked theory that the virus was somehow caused by 5G.
The statement further read, “Ofcom stresses that legitimate debate about the official response to the coronavirus pandemic is fundamental to holding public authorities to account during a global health crisis - particularly when public freedoms are curtailed and complex policy decisions are being taken.
“However, the inaccurate and potentially harmful claims made during this programme were unsupported by any factual evidence and went entirely without challenge.
Ofcom was particularly concerned that this breach followed previous, similar breaches in 2020 during the investigation of which, Loveworld Limited gave Ofcom a number of assurances as to how it would improve its compliance procedures.”
Two people of Nigerian descent, Timilehin Olasemo and David Akinneye are currently in jail in the UK for fraudulently claiming about £500k in loan meant for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The two Nigerians who exploited the UK Government’s Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) by using the identities of eight innocent people to fraudulently obtain £489,000 have pleaded guilty to the crimes.
Due to the absence of the economic activity occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK Government initiated a scheme to support struggling businesses.
In a statement published on Wednesday by the Metropolitan police, Olasemo and Akinneye were said to have connived to benefit from illegal loan applications worth £489,000, and had received over £250,000 at the time of their arrest.
Olasemo, 39-year-old, who is said to be a human resource executive, was charged to court over “conspiracy to commit fraud”, and impersonation and sentenced on Wednesday to three years and two months in prison
David Akinneye, aged 33, is described as her accomplice, and was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.
“Akinneye was the first out of the two to be identified during ongoing enquiries into organised criminality by officers of the Met’s North West London Economic Crime Unit. Olasemo was identified from evidence seized during Akinneye’s arrest,” the statement reads.
“On Friday, 16 October, officers from Met’s North West Economic Crime Unit, part of the Metropolitan Police Service’s Central Specialist Crime Command, arrested Olasemo at her home address. She was charged and remanded in custody the same day.
The investigating officers identified that £489,000 worth of fraudulent loan applications were made using ten identities. Of this, £297,000 worth of loans were successfully obtained by the pair and dissipated. The remaining amount was successfully stopped by the banks.
“It was discovered that Olasemo had obtained and used the personal details of eight individuals in order to fraudulently apply for the loans. She had stolen these identities after accessing employee records containing personal information during her employment.
“The fraudulently obtained monies was paid into the business bank account before being dispersed into mule accounts and later withdrawn from cash machines. Throughout this process, Olasemo sought advice from an accomplice named Olufumi David Akinneye.
Akinneye provided Olasemo with guidance in relation to laundering the proceeds of the frauds and safe addresses to use as correspondence for accounts. He also acted as a middle-man between people who were willing to sell on their bank accounts for use in fraud and other fraudsters who needed mule accounts to receive money obtained from diversion frauds.”
Speaking on the conviction, Chris Collins of the Metropolitan’s north west economic crime unit, said: “Today’s result serves as evidence of the zero-tolerance approach the MPS takes to individuals found guilty of fraud.”
“We will continue to crack down on individuals who are found to be exploiting government schemes for their own monetary gain,” he added.
Meanwhile, Akinneye, who was arrested in August 2020, was also found guilty of being involved in a romance scam.
Brazil is experiencing a historic collapse of its health service as intensive care units in hospitals run out of capacity, its leading health institute, Fiocruz, has warned.
Covid-19 units in all but two of Brazil’s 27 states are at or above 80% capacity, according to Fiocruz.
In Rio Grande do Sul state there are no intensive care beds available at all.
The warning came as the country registered its highest daily death toll yet with 2,841 dying within 24 hours.
“The analysis by our researchers suggests it’s the biggest collapse of the hospital and health service in Brazil’s history.”
Health officials in Brazil’s most populous state, São Paulo, which on Tuesday also registered a record daily death toll, have called on the new health minister to consider imposing a national lockdown.
Marcelo Queiroga – who will be formally appointed as health minister later on Wednesday – is the fourth person to hold the office since the pandemic began.
image captionMarcelo Queiroga will take over from General Eduardo Pazuello as health minister on Wednesday
He was given the job on Monday by President Jair Bolsonaro, who has faced widespread criticism over his handling of the pandemic.
President Bolsonaro has consistently opposed quarantine measures introduced by state governors, arguing that the collateral damage to the economy would be worse than the effects of the virus itself.
Lockdown ahead?
In remarks to the media on Tuesday, Mr Queiroga urged Brazilians to wear masks and wash their hands but stopped short of endorsing a lockdown or even social distancing measures.
The cardiologist told CNN Brasil that while “lockdowns were used in extreme situations, they could not be government policy”.
image captionIn São Paulo, lockdown measures imposed by the state governor triggered protests
That drew a strong response from João Gabbardo, the head of Sao Paulo’s Covid-19 emergency body.
The Osun State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, on Sunday directed all court staff across the state to undergo the COVID-19 test.
In a statement issued by Chief Registrar of the State’s High Court, M. A Lasisi, the chief judge also ordered all staff below Grade Level 12 to work from home.
The directive followed the discovery of the United Kingdom COVID-19 variant in Osun State.
The state government had earlier on Sunday confirmed the discovery of five cases of the UK COVID-19 variant in the state.
The statement read: “I have the instruction of the Honourable Chief Judge of Osun State to convey to you the need to comply with the new COVID-19 protocols just released by the state government.
“Hence, all staff of the judiciary below Level 12 are hereby directed to stay at, and work from home, to contain the spread of the pandemic.
“All staff affected should stop coming to work with effect from Monday, 1st February 2021. Furthermore, all staff of Osun State Judiciary should undergo the COVID-19 test immediately.
“Osun State Government is gracious enough to be conducting the tests free of charge. All courtrooms and offices where the affected officer is working should be closed down forthwith until further notice.”
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday banned gatherings of more than 50 persons in the state.
The governor, who announced this while giving an update on the COVID-19 situation in Lagos, however, added that religious organizations are exempted from the directive.
He added that the order was in line with the new COVID-19 safety protocols signed last week by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The governor said: “The state government has observed with dismay the widespread flagrant disregard and non-adherence to guidelines and protocols aimed at stemming and curbing the tide of COVID-19 infection.
“We particularly note that some event centres have been operating their premises outside the acceptable parameters for operation/usage and continue to be recalcitrant in this regard.
“This is to sound a very serious note of warning that henceforth all those found culpable and in breach of the existing regulations and guidelines would be swiftly and decisively dealt with in full accordance with the provisions of the law.
“Furthermore, and in line with the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations 2021 signed last week by President Muhammadu Buhari, it is hereby directed that no gathering of more than 50 persons shall hold in an enclosed space, except for religious purposes, in which case the gathering shall not exceed 50 percent capacity of the space.”
Sanwo-Olu stressed that violation of the provisions of the presidential regulations on COVID-19 attracts a fine, six months imprisonment, or both.
He added: “Our enforcement agencies have been appropriately tasked to ensure maximum compliance.
“All Lagosians are enjoined to continue to observe all laid down guidelines and protocols issued by both the state and Federal Governments for the effective containment and treatment of the COVID-19.”
The Kaduna State Government has warned that it will have no option than to shut down public spaces, including schools, markets, offices and places of worship if the current rate of Covid-19 infection persists.
There has been a steady raise in the rate of infection with 117 positive cases recorded on Friday.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday in Kaduna, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Mohammed-Baloni, said: “If the rate of spread retains or exceeds the current pace, then we will have no option than to recommend the temporary closure of public spaces, including schools, markets, offices and places of worship.”
Giving an update on the rising cases of the infection in the state, the commissioner appealed for urgent action by residents to help stop the spread of the disease and save lives.
“In absolute and relative terms, Kaduna State is now recording high infection figures reminiscent of the first wave of Covid-19 spread in April, May and June 2020.
“The lowering of the infection rate following the first wave encouraged the government to approve the recommendation of the state Covid-19 Taskforce for a significant reopening of the state.
However, we are saddened to report that the conditions that compelled the 75-day lockdown of the state are now being replicated,” the commissioner said.
According to her, “On 26th November, 2020, the state recorded 74 positive results from 531 samples.
“The quantum of infections since then suggest both high infection rates and the reality that a new wave of infections is spreading across the state.
“As at yesterday, 11th December, the state recorded 117 positive cases from 518 samples. This translates to almost one in four samples testing positive.”
She said the Ministry of Health expected some increase in infections after the reopening of schools, markets, places of worship and recreational centres, noting however, that the figures easily outstripped the estimated projection.
“While infections cut across age groups, this new wave especially affects those aged between 10 and 35.
“There is now a veritable danger to lives and livelihoods with the renewed Covid-19 infections.
“If the spread continues at the current rate, it may challenge and overwhelm the health system despite our efforts to improve the resilience of that sector.
“We cannot allow this to happen. Kaduna State contained the first wave because, among other measures, most citizens observed and practised the Covid-19 prevention protocols,” Baloni said.
She appealed to residents to recommit themselves to behaviours that protect them and their families from the infection by voluntarily complying with the Covid-19 protocols to avoid the worst case scenarios and limit the spread of the disease.
“We had previously observed the wholesale abandonment of any compliance with protective measures.
We cautioned against this and reminded citizens that the relaxation of lockdown measures did not mean that Covid-19 had been defeated or disappeared.
“The rising infection is a reminder that Covid-19 remains a potent danger to lives and livelihoods. Anyone who remembers the pains and sacrifices of the lockdown period will not want that to be repeated,” she stated.
The commissioner said that as the lead agency for implementing Covid-19 containment, the Ministry of Health will be availing the state Covid-19 Taskforce of all the relevant data to monitor and access the rate of voluntary compliance.
If the rate of spread retains or exceeds the current pace, then we will have no option than to recommend the temporary closure of public spaces, including schools, markets, offices and places of worship. But there is a less costly way out. And that involves citizens living their lives and conducting themselves in ways that do not spread the disease. That way, lives and livelihoods are protected, while public health officers try to contain and manage the disease without causing painful disruptions.
“I urge all citizens, businesses and organisations to appreciate the danger that we face and let us all work together to avoid emergency conditions. We have done it before. Let us do it again,” she said.
The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC), has announced 390 new COVID-19, infections in the country.
The NCDC made this known via its website.
The agency recorded an additional COVID-19 related death, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 1,181
It said that the new infections have brought the total number of cases in the country to 69,645.
It disclosed that, 173 patients were discharged after recovering from the disease across the country.
The public health agency stated that the new infections were spread across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the NCDC, the FCT and Gombe State recorded the highest number of cases on Monday with 89 new infections each.
“Kaduna State recorded 62 new cases, while Lagos State recorded 35 new cases.
“Others were- Kwara (15), Borno (13), Nasarawa (10), Rivers (10), Bauchi (8), Ogun (8), Osun (7), Bayelsa (7), Kano (7), Edo (6), Taraba (6), Ekiti (5), Katsina (5), Akwa Ibom (4), Delta (3), and Sokoto (1),” it said.
It said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, has continued to coordinate national response activities.
According to the public health agency, as of Dec. 7, 390 new confirmed cases and one death was recorded in the country.
The NCDC noted that till date, 69,645 cases have been confirmed, 64,947 cases have been discharged and 1,181 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that the country has conducted about 803,621 tests since the first confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 was announced.(NAN)
To millions of Nigerians, the nation has moved past the worst of the coronavirus. That is even if the virus is “real and potent” in the country in the first place, many will argue.
After months of lockdowns with the attendant economic downturn, job losses, rise in domestic violence and health emergencies coupled with biting hunger, things appear to be fully returning to normal.
With Yuletide fast approaching, Nigerians now reckon it is safe to let their guards down – hands are no longer washed often, facemasks are almost forgotten, mass gatherings are no longer a problem, parties, weddings and even protests are back on the cards.
But it could just be a matter of small time before this comes back to bite us even harder and more devastating this time, health experts warn. As it is happening across Europe and the U.S., the dreaded second wave of coronavirus has commenced.
When it became clear that COVID-19 would be a global pandemic, public health experts warned of the devastating effect it would have on Nigeria and much of Africa. That forecast has not materialized compared to the havoc the deadly contagion is wrecking in the western world and many scientists are still struggling to figure it out.
But as the numbers begin to pick pace gradually in Nigeria, worries are rife that the second wave could be well on its way and would be more deadly especially now that we have lowered our guard.
Nigeria’s new COVID-19 infections have increased in the last two weeks, a PREMIUM TIMES review of official data shows, suggesting a possible resurgence in cases after weeks of low numbers.
Last week (November 1-7), the country recorded 937 new cases, a two per cent increase from the previous week’s record of 923 cases which was a 32 per cent increase from the preceding week.
Nigeria recorded its highest daily figure of confirmed infections in three months with the 300 reported cases on Sunday, raising the total tally to over 64, 000.
Second wave
Countries across Europe are seeing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases after successfully slowing outbreaks early in the year, declaring more cases each day now than they were during the first wave earlier in the pandemic.
England, Portugal and Hungary are among nations in a second lockdown as the new wave of infections sweeps through, shattering efforts and responses to keep the contagion at bay.
Cases in the U.S. are also smashing new records with over 10 million infections thus far, a fifth of the over 50 million total global tally.
COVID-19, the potentially dangerous pneumonia-like disease caused by the coronavirus and said to have emanated from a local Wuhan market to spread to over 200 countries, has also claimed more than 1.2 million lives. This has exceeded the upper range of 290,000 to 650,000 annual deaths linked to severe influenza illnesses.
Drawing on historical pandemics, health experts believe second waves of viral infections are often more destructive.
The second wave of the Spanish flu pandemic during 1918-20 was particularly devastating and more lethal than the first, according to Full Facts, an international fact-checking network. The second wave of the H1N1 swine flu epidemicin 2009 to 2010 was also more lethal than the first.ADVERTISEMENT
Studies also show that natural defenses against viral infection like mucus and your nose’s cilia do not work as well in colder, dry climates, the very season we are about to enter.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, the director-general of Nigeria’s infectious disease agency, NCDC said a second wave was “inevitable” if citizens do not continue to adhere to measures put in place to contain the viral pandemic.
Student Covid tests for Christmas holiday from 30 November
Covid tests for students in England, so they can go home safely for Christmas, could begin on 30 November, according to a letter from the universities minister to vice chancellors.
A week of mass testing for students is proposed – running between 30 November and 6 December.
The letter, seen by the BBC, promises a fast turnaround for tests and “results within an hour”.
The aim is to stop students spreading the virus as they return home.
The first week of December, after the lockdown ends, could then become the “travel window” for many students to leave university for the Christmas holidays, with face-to-face teaching expected to finish earlier than usual this term.
But those who test positive will have to take another test and, if found to be infectious, have to stay in isolation.
Larissa Kennedy, president of the National Union of Students, said: “The government have finally listened to our calls to ensure that students can travel home safely for Christmas.
“We particularly welcome this mass-testing approach as it equips students with the knowledge to make informed decisions about travel ahead of the winter break,” she said.
‘Huge hurdles’
But the University and College Union, which represents university lecturers, said it was not yet clear whether all universities would take part in the testing programme or how many students would be included.
“There are huge hurdles to overcome to manage this process,” said union leader Jo Grady.
Around 1.2 million students are expected to move at Christmas from their university term-time address to a home in another part of the country, where there might be different levels of infection.
This has raised concerns among the Sage scientific advisers of a “significant risk” that this migration could spread the coronavirus.
To prevent this danger, plans are being made for mass testing using so-called “lateral flow tests”.
These nose and throat swabs are self-administered, with no need for tests to be sent to laboratories for results.
image captionThe tests will be able to provide results within an hour
The letter from Universities Minister Michelle Donelan, and its accompanying documents, says: “The tests we are deploying have a high specificity which means the risk of false positive test results is low.
“Although the test does not detect all positive cases, it works extremely well in finding cases with higher viral loads – which is those who are most infectious.
“As the test is easy to administer and does not require a laboratory, testing can take place on a very regular basis,” the letter to university leaders said.
Free testing kits
Accompanying documents show a planning timetable in which sites are prepared for testing from 15 November, ready to operate the following week, with “pre end-of-term testing” between 30 November and 6 December.
The test kits will be given free to universities, which will have to provide a place for the tests to be carried out, in a way that can process thousands of students within a short time frame.
Ministers have already indicated that universities will stop in-person teaching two weeks before the end of term – so when students have been given the all-clear they could be expected to leave their term-time address and go home, in a “test and release” process.
This could mean that by about 9 December, many students will have left for Christmas.
There are also believed to have been discussions about how the departure of students can be made safe – such as co-ordinating staggered times for leaving between universities in the same city.
There could also be calls to avoid public transport – with suggestions of chartering coaches or using private transport, such as parents collecting students, and creating “travel corridors” to control traffic away from universities.
University leaders have previously raised concerns about why this guidance has been left so close to the end of term – and there will be questions about the capacity of universities to be ready in time for the mass testing.
There have also been questions about whether students will return as usual in January or whether there will be a staggered start and more testing, or whether more courses will switch online with some students initially studying from home.
Universities UK welcomed the plans for more testing capacity, but warned that universities would “now need clear assurance of the effectiveness of the tests as well as further details from the government on specific responsibilities under the proposed scheme including the governance, indemnity, resourcing and costs recovery”.
Hoodlums yesterday invaded a warehouse where COVID-19 palliative was stored at Mazamaza community in Lagos State.
The community is located in the Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state.
Viral video footages circulating on social media showed the looters, entering the warehouse and looting the COVID-19 palliative.
The warehouse is located on Benster Crescent, popularly called Monkey Village.
The looting started as early as 8:00 a.m.
It was gathered that the hoodlums also set a bonfire at a junction not far from the warehouse. The hoodlums later asked residents in the area to move into the warehouse and pick some palliative.
One of the residents, Sherif Olaiya said: “We heard sounds of gunshots.
The hoodlums attacked a place where COVID-19 palliatives were stored. They then asked residents to pick the palliatives.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has condemned the vandalisation of the warehouse at Mazamaza. In a statement by Abisola Olusanya, acting Commissioner for Agriculture, the government said the warehouse held the food palliative packages donated to the state government by the Private Sector Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID) group.
“The Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had on September 22nd formally taken receipt of the food palliatives from the CACOVID team meant for distribution to indigent persons,” the statement said.
“The government notes that the warehouse in question is not state-owned and its usage was made available to the CaCOVID group. The State Government had been allowed to commence rebagging of food items allotted to it from the quantities meant for South-West states.
“The re-bagging was being done to account for each beneficiary receipt, as was required and monitored by the CACOVID team.
The distribution was ongoing but had to be halted due to protests, before the invasion of the warehouse yesterday.
“For effective distribution of the food palliative, groups such as transport unions, ethnic groups, religious associations, artisans and tradesmen association, market men and women association, People Living with Disabilities, orphanages and old peoples’ homes among others were being used as distribution channels to their members.
“The State Government however regrets the invasion of the warehouse and appreciate the support offered by the CACOVID group to the citizenry of Lagos.”
Since blood group distributions vary among ethnic subgroups, the researchers also controlled for ethnicity and maintained that fewer people with blood type O tested positive for the virus.
People with blood type O may have a lower risk of infection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that causes COVID-19, and reduced likelihood of severe outcomes, including organ complications, if they develop the disease, two new studies suggest.
The studies, published in the journal Blood Advances on Wednesday, add evidence that there may be an association between blood type and vulnerability to COVID-19.
However, the researchers noted that more studies are needed to better understand why and what it means for patients.
In the first study, researchers compared Danish health registry data from over 473,000 individuals tested for COVID-19 to data from a control group of more than 2.2 million people from the general population.
Among the COVID-19 positive, they found fewer people with blood type O and more people with A, B, and AB types.
The study suggests that people with blood types A, B, or AB may be more likely to be infected with COVID-19 than people with type O.
The researchers did not find any significant difference in rate of infection between A, B, and AB types.
Since blood group distributions vary among ethnic subgroups, the researchers also controlled for ethnicity and maintained that fewer people with blood type O tested positive for the virus.
“It is very important to consider the proper control group because blood type prevalence may vary considerably in different ethnic groups and different countries,” said study author Torben Barington, from the University of Southern Denmark.
A separate retrospective study in Canada found that people with blood groups A or AB appear to exhibit greater COVID-19 disease severity than people with blood groups O or B.
The researchers examined data from 95 critically ill COVID-19 patients hospitalised in Vancouver.
The team found that patients with blood groups A or AB were more likely to require mechanical ventilation, suggesting that they had greater rates of lung injury from COVID-19.
The researchers also found more patients with blood group A and AB required dialysis for kidney failure.
These findings, taken together, suggest that patients in these two blood groups may have an increased risk of organ dysfunction or failure due to COVID-19 than people with blood types O or B.
While people with blood types A and AB did not have longer overall hospital stays than those with types O or B, they did remain in the intensive care unit (ICU) for a longer average time, which may also signal a greater COVID-19 severity level, the researchers said.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been released from the Portuguese national team camp after testing positive for Covid-19.
A statement released by the Portuguese football federation on Tuesday confirmed the 35-year-old is asymptomatic and feeling fine, but he must now undergo a period of self-isolation.
This means he will miss Portugal’s Uefa Nations League clash with Sweden on Wednesday and is also a doubt for Juventus’ upcoming fixtures against Crotone and Dynamo Kyiv.
The Serie A club are yet to make a statement but the Portuguese federation confirmed the rest of the Portuguese squad all returned negative Covid-19 test results on Tuesday, and Ronaldo is the only player who must miss the Sweden game.
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