Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has tested positive to COVID-19, said the presidential office on Tuesday.

According to the office, Sarkissian went to London on a New Year holiday with his family.

He underwent a successful leg surgery there and then showed symptoms of the novel coronavirus on Sunday.

Later, the result of his test for the coronavirus was positive.

Sarkissian will temporarily work remotely, said the office.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 160,544 on Tuesday, with 145,759 recoveries and 2,878 death in total, according to the Armenian Ministry of Health. (Xinhua/NAN)

By Rabiu Sani-Ali

Kano State has recorded 40 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of active cases in the state to 318.

The State Ministry of Health announced this on Tuesday via its verified Twitter handle @KNSMOH.

It said that 48 patients who recovered from the disease were also discharged in the last 24 hours in the state.

“Forty new cases were recorded from 286 results received on Monday from laboratories, 48 additional COVID-19 patients were also discharged,” it said.

The ministry disclosed that 58,765 samples were tested; out of which 2,364 were confirmed positive with 1,978 discharged.

It added that the state has so far recorded 68 COVID-19 related deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic in the state.

The ministry urged residents of the state to observe all COVID-19 protocols to curb spread of the disease.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the state has witnessed upsurge in COVID-19 infections from 30 to 318 following the second wave of the disease in the country. (NAN)

By Felicia Imohimi

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) sealed 4, 219 pharmaceutical premises and two open drug markets in 2020.

The Registrar of the council, Dr Elijah Mohammed, gave the figures in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mohammed said that the measure was targeted at sanitising pharmaceutical practice in order to protect the health of Nigerians.

Giving update of the council’s regulatory activities in 2020, the registrar said that 353 of the premises sealed were pharmacies, while 3, 866 were patent medicines shops.

He said that the council visited a total of 6, 132 premises, comprising 1,104 pharmacies and 5, 028 patent medicines shops.

“In an effort to achieve a well-ordered drug distribution system in the country, PCN closely monitored the development of the Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) across various locations in the country.

“An update of the status of various CWCs was recently forwarded to the minister of health.

“Among the premises sealed by the national enforcement team include those situated within the emerging open drug markets in Owerri and Abakaliki, in November and December 2020.

“Compliance directives were issued to 166 premises, comprising 92 pharmacies and 74 patent medicines shops.

The registrar added that 24 arrests were made and some of the  suspects already charged to court while others would  be arraigned at the conclusion of investigations.

Mohammed said that due to the COVID-19-induced restrictions, the council sought the permission of the Nigeria Police to enable its enforcement team to move across states.

“In the course of the restriction of movement, the need to control proliferation of illegal pharmaceutical premises became very obvious.

“This is because  owners of these premises took advantage of the health crisis to sell all kinds of medicines to the general public through unlicensed outlets,’’ he said.

He said that PCN would  step up the enforcement in 2021.

“This is to ensure that medicines sold in premises across the nation remain safe, effective and of good quality,” Mohammed said. (NAN)

By Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo

Kwara Government says it has recorded 44 more COVID-19 cases, while 101 patients, who tested negative twice have been discharged.

Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and Spokesman for the Technical Committee on COVID-19, made this known in a statement on Monday in Ilorin.

According to him, this brings to 1,459 the total number of confirmed cases, with 1,281 patients discharged and 32 death.

“As at 9:00p.m on Monday, the number of active cases is 146 and 1,281 patients had so far been discharged and 32 deaths recorded,” said Ajakaye.

By Abujah Racheal

Nigeria on Monday recorded 1,204 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, taking the total number of infections to 91,351.

The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) made this known via its verified website.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria recorded 1,145 cases on Dec. 18, 2020.

The centre also announced seven deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the country’s death toll to 1,318.

It stated that three of the deaths occurred in Lagos, two in Sokoto, while Kebbi and Abia recorded one fatality each.

The NCDC said that the number of recovered COVID-19 patients stood at 75,699, including 655 patients that were discharged on Monday after testing negative from the virus.

It said that Lagos, the epicentre of COVID-19, recorded the highest number of cases with 654, while FCT recorded 200.

Other  states are Plateau-60, Kaduna-54, Kano-40, Rivers-30, Edo-28, Nasarawa-25, Kebbi-19, Bauchi-18, Oyo-13, Akwa Ibom-12, Bayelsa-11, Ogun-11, Delta-nine, Abia-eight, Benue-five, Imo-three, Borno-two, Sokoto-one and Osun-one.

The agency said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been activated at Level III, to coordinate the national response activities.

The agency noted that till date, 91,351 cases had been confirmed, 75,699 cases discharged and 1,318 deaths recorded in 36 states and the FCT.

Meanwhile, the agency called on those who may have been exposed to the virus to quarantine and isolate themselves if they feel ill.

“Remember COVID-19 can spread from people that look and feel well. Don’t let your guard down around friends or relatives just because they look healthy – they may not know they are infected but can unintentionally spread COVID-19,” it advised.

NAN reports the centre has so far tested 958,911 persons since the first confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic was announced in Feb.  27  2020.

NAN also reports that the Federal Government on Dec. 22, 2020 imposed new restrictions amid the rising cases of COVID-19 in various parts of the country.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, explained that the directives were advisories issued to state authorities for implementation in the next five weeks.

The new restrictions include civil servants from Grade Level 12 and below to stay at home for the next five weeks; the closure of all bars, nightclubs, pubs and event centres, as well as recreational venues in all states and the FCT.

All restaurants were also directed to close, except those providing services to hotel residents, takeaways, home deliveries and drive-ins. (NAN)

By Monday Ajogun

Edo recorded 36 new cases of COVID-19 in the last five days, the state government has said.

The state’s COVID-19 Incident Manager, Dr Andrew Obi, said it has also recorded 198 cases of the virus since it started tracking the second wave of the pandemic on Dec. 1, 2020.

Obi said that of the 36 new cases, 12 were reported at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, while 24 cases were recorded at the laboratory at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, also in the state.

“From when we started tracking the second wave of the pandemic, we currently have 104 active cases in the state. We have a case positivity of 12.5 per cent,” he said.

He noted that the state government had reactivated its disease surveillance system to manage the spread of the pandemic.

Obi urged residents of the state to take personal responsibility to protect themselves and their loved ones.

“We are prepared to deal with the second wave of the pandemic, but the people must play their roles. They should ensure they abide by the precautionary measures set out by the government to curb the spread of the virus. (NAN)

By Abujah Racheal
The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 917 new Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in the country, according to its verified website on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that so far, 955,429 persons have been tested in the country since the first confirmed COVID-19 case was announced in Feb. 27, 2020.

According to the public health agency, the total number of infections in the country now stands at 90,080.

The centre reported nine new deaths in the past 24 hours in the country.

It said 16 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded the new infections.

In the past 24 hours, 255 recoveries were recorded in the country, It added.

A breakdown of data provided by the health agency shows the FCT recorded the highest number of infections for the day with 222 cases, followed by Lagos, Kaduna, and Plateau states which reported 214, 119, and 92 cases respectively.

The other states affected are Nasarawa, with 50 new infections, Oyo-41, Adamawa-33, Ondo-32, Abia-28, Ogun-19, Rivers-17, Kano-16, Yobe-14, Edo-eight, Anambra-six, Ekiti- five, and Jigawa-one.

It said a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, continued to coordinate the national response activities.

According to it, 917 new confirmed cases and nine deaths were recorded in the country as of Jan. 3.

Till date, 90,080 cases had been confirmed, 75,044 discharged, and 1,311 deaths recorded in 36 states and FCT, NCDC said.

NAN recalls that in week 52, the number of new confirmed cases increased to 5,908 from 5,261 recorded in week 51.

The cases were reported in 36 states and FCT.

Also, number of discharged cases in week 52 increased to 2,731 from 2,213 recorded in week 51.

The cases were reported in 30 states and FCT.

Cumulatively, 1,254 deaths with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.5 per cent have been recorded since the disease first broke out in Week 9 of 2020.

Also, the number of reported deaths in the past one week in 13 states and FCT stands at 33.

In week 52, also the number of in-bound international travellers at Nigerian airports was 19,238 as against 20,209 recorded in Week 51.

The number of international travellers with positive results in week 52 was 84 as against 270 recorded in week 51.

By Oluwafunke Ishola

A female journalist, Mrs Mercy Omoike, has appealed to kindhearted Nigerians, corporate organisations and the three tiers of government for financial assistance for a heart surgery for her nine-week-old baby.

Omoike, who works with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the baby boy, Shalom, was born on Oct. 23, with a heart problem and need N7.5 million for surgery.

She said the boy was discharged from Bee Hess Hospital, Akowonjo, Lagos, on Nov. 3, 2020, where he was born.

According to her, Shalom was an outpatient for two weeks at the private hospital, Bee Hess Hospital, before he was referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, on Nov. 27.

“He has since been an outpatient at the Paediatric Cardiology Unit of LUTH.

“Shalom has been placed on observation until he is three months old to avoid complications during surgery because of his present age,’’ Omoike said.

She said the boy was born with a symptomatic congenital heart disease confirmed by Echocardiography as Transposition of the Great Arteries, large-sized inlet Ventricular Septal Defect (VSDs) and multiple muscular VSDs.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust described Transposition of the Great Arteries as “a birth defect of the heart’’.

“It is where the two main arteries carrying blood out of the heart – the main pulmonary artery and the aorta – are switched in position or transposed.

“The aorta is attached to the right-sided pumping chamber (ventricle) instead of the left, and the pulmonary artery is attached to the left-sided pumping chamber (ventricle) instead of the right.

“This means that blood flows to the lungs and picks up oxygen but is pumped back to the lungs instead of travelling around the body. Blood flowing round the body is unable to reach the lungs to pick up oxygen and continues circulating.”

Omoike said: “When Shalom was born, he had difficulty in breathing and had to be placed on oxygen for 10 days to stabilise him.

“A scan, chest X-ray and ECG were carried out on him to determine the fast breathing, because he kept breathing very fast, though he was still on oxygen.”

Omoike said that outcome of the various tests showed Shalom’s heart challenge.

The doctors then advised that a corrective surgery be done on him before three months to forestall further complications.

She said that doctors in LUTH contacted some doctors in India and sent Shalom’s medical report and videos to them in preparation for the corrective surgery.

On why the referral to an Indian hospital for the corrective surgery, Omoike said that the doctor’s referral was based on the complexity of Shalom’s heart condition.

She said that financial support was needed for Shalom’s surgery, visa, and travel expenses to India for the surgical intervention.

“I appeal to Nigerians to come to the aid of Shalom and give him the opportunity to grow up normally and have his heart fixed,” she said.

Omoike appealed to kind-hearted Nigerians to donate for the surgery through the account details: Omoike, Omozokpia Shalom, Zenith Bank Account number 2052022603. (NAN)