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Author: Alpha Maidawa

  • Asian Football Confederation extends postponement of competitions

    Asian Football Confederation extends postponement of competitions

    The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has postponed all games and competitions scheduled for May and June until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic, the continental governing body said on Tuesday.

    The Asian Champions League, Asia’s elite club competition, has been severely affected with its schedule of the group phase thrown into disarray since the tournament began in February.

    The second-tier AFC Cup was also suspended last month due to the novel coronavirus.

    The virus has infected over 1.88 million people globally and caused more than 119,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally.

    “Following the continued preventive measures and travel restrictions put in place by several governments, the AFC has decided to postpone all matches and competitions scheduled to take place in May and June until further notice,” the AFC said in a statement.

    “The AFC has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and had earlier postponed its matches in March and April after holding a series of emergency meetings in New Delhi, Doha, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.

    “The AFC will also continue to engage and consult with the participating member-associations in the AFC club competitions and will explore all possible options to complete the 2020 AFC Champions League and AFC Cup group stages.”

    World football governing body FIFA and the AFC had previously agreed to postpone the Asian World Cup qualifying matches in March and June.(Reuters/NAN)

  • Malaysia turns to coronavirus antibody tests to supplement laboratory checks

    Malaysia turns to coronavirus antibody tests to supplement laboratory checks

    Malaysian authorities have begun using COVID-19 antibody rapid tests kits to supplement laboratory tests as the number of cases in the country grows, a senior health official said on Tuesday.

    Officials in Malaysia, as elsewhere, had initially rejected the use of the serology test kits, which can show the presence of antibodies in people who have been infected.

    Like other countries, it instead chose polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, laboratory tests, which detect the presence of the novel coronavirus itself and are seen as more reliable.

    “But as the number of suspected cases needing testing has risen, the turnaround time for laboratory test results had increased from around six hours to as many as two days or more,’’ the Director-General of Health, Noor Hisham Abdullah, said.

    Malaysia reported 170 new coronavirus cases, taking the total to almost 5,000 infections, the second-highest in Southeast Asia, with 82 deaths.

    It had done almost 82,000 PCR tests as of Monday and reported over 8,000 pending lab results earlier this month, before it stopped publishing backlog data.

    To reduce the testing backlog, the close contacts of people infected will now receive the antibody tests at the end of their 14-day mandatory quarantine period.

    “On the 13th day, we will use the antibody or serology tests and if it comes back positive, then we will carry out the PCR test again.

    “But if the antibody test comes back negative, then you’re in the clear. This is how we are trying to reduce the number of PCR lab tests,” Noor Hisham said.

    A person who tested negative can then be discharged from quarantine, freeing up state resources used to monitor them.

    However, they would still be required to self-isolate under movement curbs imposed by the government until April 28 to limit the virus’ spread.

    Countries hope antibody tests may one day help them to ease movement curbs by identifying people who may have acquired immunity, but it is not yet clear if that is possible.

    Some doctors had been calling for Malaysia to use new rapid test kits – both antibody and antigen, to widen testing and reduce the backlog of cases, but like other countries, it has been awaiting trial results.

    A shortage of laboratory testing supplies and difficulty in procuring them have made it hard to ramp up capacity.

    Malaysia recently warned of a shortage of reagents, a chemical used in diagnostic tests to detect the presence of the coronavirus.

    Noor Hisham also warned that the country was running low on personal protective equipment (PPEs) for health workers, with supplies of some items expected to last just another 19 days. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Trump says U.S. will halt WHO funding during coronavirus pandemic

    Trump says U.S. will halt WHO funding during coronavirus pandemic

    U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was halting funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday, and accused the world body of failing in its response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    He said U.S. taxpayers provide between 400 and 500 million dollars a year to the organization.

    However, it is unclear how Trump plans to halt the funding, which is largely appropriated by Congress.

    Trump said the U.S. has a “duty to insist on full accountability” and will stop payments while a 60- to 90-day review takes place to assess the WHO’s “role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.”

    He also pointed the finger at the WHO for “praising China for its so-called transparency” and siding with Beijing in opposing his travel restrictions.

    Trump himself had praised China’s “efforts and transparency” in their work to contain the virus in a January tweet.

    The announcement, which Trump has been teasing for a week, comes as the president is fending off intense criticism over his early response to the virus, which experts say was lacking in adequate testing and tracking to properly address the outbreak.

    UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that now is “not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organization in the fight against the virus.”

    There must be a time to look back and understand how the disease spread so quickly across the world “once we have finally turned the page on this epidemic,” Guterres said.

    “The lessons learned will be essential to effectively address similar challenges, as they may arise in the future. But now is not that time,” he added.

    Trump’s criticisms of the WHO echo some experts who say the organization relied too heavily on information from China in the initial stages of the outbreak.

    There were also signs the WHO ignored data from Taiwan, which indicated human-to-human contact was occurring, even as China was saying otherwise.

    WHO, under pressure from Beijing, does not recognise Taiwan, in line with the United Nations.

    However, the criticism from Trump also comes amid growing concerns about how the White House handled the initial signs that a pandemic was coming, at times downplaying the risk to the US and failing to ensure medical stockpiles were sufficient.

    Tom Friedin, a former head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there should a “strong WHO”.

    “I think every organisation can look back and say what did we do well, what did we do poorly.

    “But the fact is, the WHO helps protect Americans.

    “That’s an essential institution. So a stronger WHO is essential,” Friedin told Fox News. (dpa/NAN)

  • Coronavirus outbreak pushes Greek hotel industry to the brink

    Coronavirus outbreak pushes Greek hotel industry to the brink

    Greece’s key tourism sector faces catastrophic losses because of the Covid-19 epidemic, the country’s chamber of hoteliers said Monday.

    A survey carried out in early April by the Tourism Research Institute for the chamber estimated turnover losses of around 4.5 billion euros (4.92 billion dollars).

    The crisis showed two-thirds of hoteliers fearing bankruptcy and 45,000 jobs already wiped out.

    “Tourism is at a standstill. The hotels are sending an SOS signal,” the head of the chamber, Alexandros Vasilikos, said in an online news conference held upon publication of the study.

    The hoteliers are asking for assistance through tax breaks and cheap credits and have estimated their immediate needs at 1.8 billion euros.

    “Hotel operators must be helped now so that they can stand on their own feet tomorrow,” Vasilikos said.

    According to official figures, 33 million tourists visited Greece in 2019.

    Tourism and linked industries generate around 30 per cent of Greece’s gross domestic product (GDP) and have helped the country to remain afloat during the decade of a crippling financial crisis.

    Greece emerged from a third bailout in August 2018, returning to international financial markets for the first time since 2010. (dpa)

  • Japanese PM’s ‘stay home’ message attracts angry reactions

    Japanese PM’s ‘stay home’ message attracts angry reactions

    Many Japanese were expressing criticism at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “stay home” message on social networks as more people struggled to make ends meet due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis.

    The 1-minute video clip on Abe’s Facebook showed the premier sitting on a sofa, cuddling a dog, taking a sip from a cup and reading a book.

    The video uses a split screen, with Abe seen relaxing on one side while the other half shows popular musician Gen Hoshino strumming his guitar and singing a laid back song from another location.

    “You don’t see your friends. You don’t go to drinking parties. However, everyone’s actions like these are helping save many lives,” Abe wrote on Twitter.

    Hoshino said later on his Instagram that the clip of him singing was used without his permission.

    Abe issued a state of emergency last Tuesday for seven prefectures, including Tokyo and Osaka, requesting residents in the regions stay at home, while critics argued the government’s plan will not provide enough support for small and mid-sized businesses.

    “Our labour union has been swamped with calls from workers who were fired and those whose businesses were forced to suspend without any compensation due to the coronavirus pandemic,” Mitsuteru Suda, an official at the National Union of General Workers Tokyo Tobu, tweeted.

    “Non-regular workers only drinking water, single mothers struggling to survive without paying utilities bills, temporary workers forced to leave their apartment, are you watching Abe relaxing at home? Stay alive and get angry!” Suda said.

  • Indonesia reports 316 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, 26 new deaths

    Indonesia reports 316 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, 26 new deaths

    The Indonesian Government, on Monday, said it received reports on 316 new confirmed cases of the COVID-19 and 26 deaths within the past 24 hours from all the provinces in the country.

    Meanwhile, as many as 21 people have recently been discharged from hospitals after recoveries.

    At present, the number of confirmed cases in the country jumped to 4,557 and the death toll climbed to 399.

    “People, who died are mostly above 50 years old.

    “They had suffered such diseases as hypertension and diabetes for years,’’ the government’s spokesperson for the COVID-19, Achmad Yurianto, said at a press conference.

    At present, he said that the total number of patients, who have recovered from the disease, is 380.

    Jakarta, home to some 10 million people, suffers the highest number of deaths totalling 204, followed by West Java 52, East Java 30, Central Java 25, Banten 22, South Sulawesi 15 and the rest recorded in other areas.

    President Joko Widodo has declared a national public health emergency status over the outbreak and issued a government regulation on large-scale social restrictions.

    Authorities have been conducting rapid tests in areas where cases were detected and ordering the public to always wear masks in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. (Xinhua/NAN)

  • Russian COVID-19 cases shoot to 18,328

    Russian COVID-19 cases shoot to 18,328

    Russia has registered a total of 18,328 cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, with the number of infected rising by a new daily record of 2,558, latest official data showed.

    The death toll is now 148, with 1,470 people having recovered so far, including 179 in the last 24 hours, Russia’s coronavirus response centre said in a statement.

    Moscow, the worst-hit part of the country, confirmed 1,355 new cases in the last 24 hours, with the total number of infected rising to 11,513.

    To prevent the spread of coronavirus, President Vladimir Putin extended paid leave for all residents until the end of April.

    Nearly all regions have introduced mandatory self-isolation for all residents.

    Some regions have slightly eased isolation rules in recent days, with the Moscow region on Monday introducing passes for people wishing to go out for any other reason than walking their dog or visiting the nearest supermarket or pharmacy. (Xinhua/NAN)

  • PRESS RELEASE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF LT GEN TY BURATAI RELOCATES TO THE NORTH EAST

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt Gen TY Buratai has relocated fully to the North East where he is overseeing and directing the overall operation in the theatre and other Nigerian Army operations across the country.

    While addressing troops of Special Super Camp Ngamdu in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State on 9 April 2020, Gen Buratai said that he will be with them to the nooks and crannies of the theatre.

    It will be recalled that we earlier reported that the COAS had been on operational tour to troops’ locations in the North East Theatre of Operation since Saturday the 4th of April, 2020.

    During the tour, he was at the Army Super Camp 1 at Mulai and the Special Forces Super Camp 12 at Chabbol near Maiduguri on Wednesday 8 April 2020 where he interacted with the officers and addressed the troops respectively.

    COAS was also at the Forward Operations Base at Alau Dam, and also personally led the troops on patrol round Mairimari and Maigilari Forests.

    The Nigerian Army wishes to reassure Nigerians that it is highly committed to protecting all law abiding citizens and defending our territorial integrity. Members of the public are requested to note that there is no any form of insecurity that can not be surmounted, and the Boko Haram/ISWAP’s terrorism will also end in the nearest future.

    SAGIR MUSA
    Colonel
    Acting Director Army Public Relations
    10 APRIL 2020

  • S’ Korea to use electronic wristbands on violators of self-isolation rules – PM

    S’ Korea to use electronic wristbands on violators of self-isolation rules – PM

    South Korea said on Saturday that it would use electronic wristbands on people who violated self-isolation rules to better contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

    Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the country would make self-isolation violators wear electronic wristbands since the number of cases of people breaching the self-quarantine in recent weeks has raised concerns.

    “After deep consideration, the government has decided to put electronic wristbands on people who violate self-isolation rules, such as going outside without notice and not answering phone calls,” Chung said during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in Seoul.

    “We have listened to quarantine experts and gathered opinions from various communities,” he added..

    Health authorities said they planned to start using the wristbands within two weeks but would ask the violators’ permission before actually strapping such a device to their wrist since there was no legal ground to force people to wear it.

    The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said it expects active cooperation from self-quarantined people.

    If people under self-isolation break quarantine rules, such as going outside without notice and not responding to health check calls, they will face legal actions and will be asked to wear the wristbands for the rest of their quarantine period, according to the KCDC.

    Health authorities said they had already finished testing of the wristbands and can produce 4,000 of them a day.

    The device, which the KCDC likes to call a “safe band,” will interconnect with the government’s mobile application for self-isolators.

    If a person damages the device, it will automatically send a notification to health authorities.

    In a recent survey of 1,000 adults nationwide, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 80.2 per cent of people supported the idea of using electronic wristbands to keep track of those under self-quarantine.

    However, some have pointed out that such a measure could be subject to potential human rights violations.

    As of Thursday, more than 54,000 people were under self-quarantine.

    So far, more than 160 people have been caught violating self-isolation rules. (Yonhap/NAN)

  • COVID-19: World Bank foresees Sub-Sahara Africa’s 1st recession in 25 years

    COVID-19: World Bank foresees Sub-Sahara Africa’s 1st recession in 25 years

    The World Bank Group says Coronavirus (COVID-19), is taking Sub-Saharan Africa towards its first recession in 25 Years.

    The bank stated this in a statement released on Thursday.

    It explained that growth in Sub-Saharan Africa had been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, and was predicted to fall sharply from 2.4 per cent in 2019 to -2.1 to -5.1 per cent in 2020.

    The bank stated that it based its forecast on the latest Africa’s Pulse, the World Bank’s twice-yearly economic update for the region.

    The statement quoted Hafez Ghanem, World Bank Vice President for Africa as saying “the COVID-19 pandemic is testing the limits of societies and economies across the world, and African countries are likely to be hit particularly hard.

    “We are rallying all possible resources to help countries meet people’s immediate health and survival needs, while also safeguarding livelihoods and jobs in the longer term.

    “This includes calling for a standstill on official bilateral debt service payments, which would free up funds for strengthening health systems to deal with COVID 19 and save lives.

    “Social safety nets to save livelihoods and help workers who lose jobs, support to small and medium enterprises, and food security.”

    According to Ghanem, the Pulse authors recommend that African policymakers should focus on saving lives and protecting livelihoods by strengthening the health systems and taking quick actions to minimise disruptions in food supply chains.

    The bank noted that the authors also recommended implementing social protection programmes, including cash transfers, food distribution and fee waivers, to support citizens, especially those working in the informal sector.

    The analysis shows that COVID-19 will cost the region between 37 billion dollars and 79 billion dollars in output losses for 2020 due to a combination of effects.

    “They include trade and value chain disruption, which impacts commodity exporters and countries with strong value chain participation; reduced foreign financial flows from remittances, tourism and foreign direct investment,” it stated.

    It further listed others as foreign aid, combined with capital flight; and through direct impacts on health systems, and disruptions caused by containment measures and the public response.

    “While most countries in the region have been affected in different degrees by the pandemic, real gross domestic product growth is projected to fall sharply, particularly in the region’s three largest economies like Nigeria, Angola, and South Africa, as a result of persistently weak growth and investment.

    “In general, oil exporting-countries will also be hard-hit; while growth is also expected to weaken substantially in the two fastest growing areas, the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the East African Community, due to weak external demand, disruptions to supply chains and domestic production.

    “The region’s tourism sector is expected to contract sharply due to severe disruption to travel.

    “The COVID-19 crisis also has the potential to spark a food security crisis in Africa, with agricultural production potentially contracting between 2.6 per cent in an optimistic scenario, and up to seven per cent if there are trade blockages.

    “Food imports would decline substantially as much as 25 per cent, or as little as 13 per cent due to a combination of higher transaction costs and reduced domestic demand” the bank explained. (NAN)