Unsurprisingly, the most widely discussed news of the month and possibly of the year is the COVID-19 outbreak that has affected every part of the globe. With the number of coronavirus cases continuing to grow, here are 5 most important updates about the outbreak you should know about.
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1. 3 patients in Nigeria
On March 17, it was confirmed that the latest patient in Nigeria has been infected with COVID-19, which makes the total number of coronavirus patients in Nigeria three. The first patient was confirmed in late February – it was an Italian citizen who returned to Nigeria for work.
Read more: Coronavirus In Nigeria! Safety Tips On How To Protect Yourself From Coronavirus!
The second patient was diagnosed on March 9 in Ewekoro, Ogun State. It was a Nigerian man who had previously contacted the infected Italian citizen. The third case, which was announced on March 17, concerned a female Nigerian citizen who returned from the UK last week.
The good news is that the second patient has tested negative for coronavirus after extensive treatment, which means Nigeria currently has 1 case of a full recovery from COVID-19.
2. Global statistics
As of now, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has almost reached 200,000. The pandemic has affected 153 countries in every part of the globe. There have been over 7,900 coronavirus-related deaths. Over 82,000 people have fully recovered from the disease.
The death rate from coronavirus different from one age group to another. There have been no confirmed fatalities for children from 0 to 9 years old, while patients who are over 80 years old face a 14.8% death rate. For other age groups, the death rate varies from 0.2 to 8% and is heavily influenced by preexisting conditions, quality of medical care, and how quickly the patient began receiving treatment.
3. Closing borders
In an effort to lower the number of coronavirus, many countries have chosen to temporarily close their borders to all foreigners instead of people who are permanent residents of said countries. Those countries include the US, most European countries, and a number of other states around the world.
Read more: Coronavirus! Symptoms, Causes And Treatment
Some countries gave their citizens several days to return to their home cities, and the ones who didn’t return in time, now face certain difficulties when trying to get back home. Only travellers with essential reasons will be allowed into those countries.
4. Credit relief for Nigerian businesses
Earlier this week, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced a special fund of $136.6 millions. The fund will be used to aid small and medium businesses, as well as hotels, airlines, health care providers, and households who will be financially affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Interest rates for loans are also expected to go from 9% to 5% from March 1.
5. Lockdown
More and more countries choose to introduce partial or complete lockdowns in an effort to lower the number of coronavirus cases. Lockdown measures include everything from shutting down non-essential stores to allowing the workers to work from home whenever possible. While those measures may be difficult to implement and to follow, experts believe it’s one of the few effective ways to slow down the pandemic.
Read more: Lassa Fever Outbreak In Nigeria! How To Stay Safe!
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