Tag: COVID-19

Records fall and borders close as world races to get control of Omicron

Aminu Imam

The rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant has broken pandemic records and shuttered borders in several parts of the world, as governments and scientists scramble to understand the implications of the strain before it supersedes Delta and becomes dominant worldwide. The Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,Dr. Anthony Fauci, said the United States was ‘looking over (its) shoulder’ at the encroaching variant while battling an ongoing Delta outbreak on Wednesday, as he urged people to get vaccinated and receive booster shots to shore up the…

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Omicron thrives in airways, not lungs, New data reveals

Aminu Imam

Recent studies on Covid-19 have revealed that the Omicron variant multiplies faster in airways, slower in the lungs of infected persons. According to a news release issued by Hong Kong University, a summary of the study showed that, compared to the earlier Delta variant, Omicron multiplies itself 70 times more quickly in tissues that line airway passages, which may facilitate person-to-person spread. However, the researchers said that in lung tissues, Omicron replicates 10 times more slowly than the original version of the coronavirus, which might contribute to less-severe illness, adding…

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Covid-19: China to produce 400m doses of vaccines in Nigeria – Envoy

Aminu Imam

The Chinese government has said it is perfecting plans to work with the Nigerian government to produce 400 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccines in the country. The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun, disclosed this on Tuesday, in Abuja, at a round table organized by the Center for China Studies (CCS), themed: ‘Build an African-China Community with a Shared Future in the New Era: Nigeria’s Actions and Contributions’. According to the Chinese envoy, plans are underway to lead Nigeria in producing the Chinese Covid-19 vaccines in the country soon.…

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Covid-19: Omicron drags Nigeria’s average cases up 451%

Aminu Imam

A new variant of Covid-19, lineage B.1.1.7 (Alpha), which has cancelled Christmas festivities in the United Kingdom, (UK), has been found in Nigeria, but after initial discovery in the UK. From a daily average of 74 cases seen in the first week of December, Nigeria’s current Covid-19 cases have shot up by 451% to an average of 408, in a bout of infections driven by the latest Omicron variant. A total of 2,859 cases were confirmed in the week ended December 12, compared with 520 in the preceding week. Nigeria…

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Covid-19: 109 million Nigerians to be plunged into poverty by 2022 – FG reveals

Aminu Imam

The Federal Government yesterday said the total number of poor Nigerians would hit about 109 million by the end of next year as a result of the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the nation’s economy. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, revealed this yesterday, at the on-going National Covid-19 Summit, in Abuja. Represented by the Director-General of Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, at the event, themed “Pushing Through the Last Mile to End the Pandemic and Build Back Better”, the Minister explained that the pandemic…

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Vaccines Wastage: 1m doses of AstraZeneca vaccine expired in Nigeria last month – Report

Aminu Imam

…FG clarifies position Up to one million Covid-19 vaccines are estimated to have expired in Nigeria last month without being used, Reuters has reported. According to the international news agency, one million doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine supplied via COVAX from Europe in Nigeria expired in November. According to the report, the vaccine loss appears to be one of the largest of its kind over such a short time, even outstripping the total number of vaccines that some other countries in the region have received. In Nigeria, fewer than 4%…

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Omicron: ‘UK travel ban on Nigeria unjustified, punitive, indefensible and discriminatory’ – Lai Moh’d

Aminu Imam

…Says Nigeria may retaliate The Federal Government has condemned the decision of the UK government to add Nigeria to its travel red list and ban foreign travels from the country describing it as unjust, unfair, punitive, indefensible and discriminatory. Recall that the UK joined other countries, including Canada, to take similar action against Nigeria as a result of the discovery of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in the country. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, speaking at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, said Nigeria has only recorded less…

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OMICRON: FG Faults Decision By UK To Place Nigeria On Red List

Aminu Imam

Ishaku Yohanna The Federal Government has faulted the decision by the United Kingdom to place Nigeria on its red list over the new ‘Omicron’ variant of COVID-19. Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the decision is unfair and discriminatory. He said: “As you are aware, Britain has put Nigeria on its red list and banned foreign travels from our country. This is as a result of the discovery of COVID-19 Omicron variant in Nigeria. “Britain now joins other…

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UK travel ban: Passengers stranded over flight cancellations

Aminu Imam

…British Airways cancels flights into, out of Nigeria Flights scheduled to operate on Sunday and other days have been cancelled and rescheduled following UK’s travel ban, leaving several passengers stranded. A British Airways (BA) flight meant to fly out yesterday morning was rescheduled. Although the airline will still operate its Abuja flights, its Lagos-London flights for yesterday and today, Monday, have been rescheduled. According to reports, BA flights from London that should have left Saturday night also did not operate but were rescheduled to leave on Sunday morning. “We would…

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Covid-19 Omicron: UK govt puts Nigeria on red list

Aminu Imam

…Bans foreign travellers The UK Government has said Nigeria will be added to the countries on its red list due to the discovery of Covid-19 Omicron cases linked to Nigeria. The decision was announced in a tweet by the UK yesterday. According to the new protocol, non-UK and non-Irish citizens who are travelling in from Nigeria will not be allowed entry into the UK. Although the ban is described as temporary, the UK said the new protocol does not apply to persons “staying airside and only transiting through”.

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