Coronavirus: Buhari’s daughter, back from UK, in self-isolation; First Lady shuts office; Prince Albert of Monaco tests positive; Trump endorses chloroquine for treatment; Italy’s death toll surpasses China, hitting 3,405;  New York shops for ventilators in China 

By Ahmed Ubandoma

Abuja, March 19, 2020

One of President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughters, who returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, UK, one of the countries seriously affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19) has gone into self-isolation.

This was revealed by her mother, the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, who, in a circular signed by her Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Aliyu Abdullahi, on Thursday in Abuja, said that the action was based on the advice of the Minister of Health, the Presidential Task force on COVID-19 and the NCDC.

She said, however, that her daughter, whose name was not released went into self isolation, “not because she displayed any symptoms of the virus,” but as a precautionary measure.

She said, “Earlier today, my daughter returned from the UK being among the high burden listed countries of COVID-19.

“Based on the advice of the Hon. Minister Of Health, Presidential Task force on COVID-19 and that of NCDC, she is on self isolation, not because she displayed any symptoms of the virus.″

Mrs Buhari also directed the immediate shutdown of her office for two weeks as part of preventive measures against the spread of the Coronavirus, citing the return from the same UK of some of her staff.

She said: “I have directed the shut down of my office for two weeks with immediate effect while essential staff can work from home as a result of some Staff who recently returned from the UK.

“Let’s keep adhering to the advice of the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC which encourages maintaining social distancing, high hygiene culture through regular washing of hands with soaps and sanitisers.

“Let’s adopt preventive measures and ensure the safety of our families and the general public,”she said.

The first lady advised parents to take necessary measures to prevent their children from the spread of Coronavirus.

“I urge all parents to do the same if possible because prevention is better than cure,” she said.

Some celebrities, including some United States of America, US, legislators and celebrities have been confirmed positive to the virus.

Paris

Indeed, on Thursday, Prince Albert II of Monaco was reported to have tested positive for the new coronavirus, his palace said.

The 62-year-old sovereign of the enclave on the French Mediterranean coast was being closely monitored by his doctor and specialists, and his health “does not give any cause for concern,” according to the palace. “

“Prince Albert was continuing to work from the office in his private apartments,’’ the palace said in a statement.

The palace added: “His Most Serene Highness strongly requests the population of Monaco to respect the confinement measures and keep their contacts with other persons to a minimum.’’

The palace said that it would issue regular updates on the prince’s health.

Abuja

Cecilia Ologunagba

Meanwhile, the U.S on Thursday approved a malaria drug, chloroquine, for the treatment of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

President Donald Trump said at a Coronavirus Task Force news conference that the drug could help with symptoms of COVID-19.

According to him, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is fast-tracking approval of using the drug chloroquine to treat COVID-19.

“It is known as a malaria drug and it’s been around for a long time and it’s very powerful.

“The nice part is, it’s been around for a long time, and so we know that if things don’t go as planned it’s not going to kill anybody.”

Trump praised the FDA for fast-tracking approval of the COVID-19 treatment.

“Normally the FDA would take a long time to approve something like that and it was approved very, very quickly,” Trump said.

“We’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately.”

New York 

In another development, New York’s Governor, Andrew Cuomo, on Thursday warned that hospitals would soon be flooded by coronavirus patients, overwhelming a healthcare system without enough beds or medical equipment.

“We have a major problem on equipment, the gloves, the protective equipment and again the ventilators,’’ Andrew Cuomo told broadcaster NBC.

According to Cuomo, in this war, ventilators are what the missiles were in World War II.

“New York State had up to 6,000 of the devices, which assist or replace breathing functions for critically ill patients, but needed 30,000 more for the peak of the outbreak.

“We literally have people in China shopping for ventilators,” the governor told a news briefing.

New York is the hardest-hit state in the U.S. with over 4,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.

Thursday’s numbers were almost double the previous day’s figure, a fact Cuomo put down to increased testing capacity, noting the number of cases would continue to “jump astronomically.”

The governor ordered 75 per cent of the state’s workforce to work from home, expanding it from 50 per cent a day earlier.

He also announced a 90-day relief on mortgage payments for homeowners deprived of an income due to closures amid the pandemic.

Cuomo continued to dismiss the idea of a “shelter-in-place” order, floated by the mayor of New York City, insisting it would cause undue panic.

The governor also said it was “unintelligent and reckless” of thousands of young people on spring break to flout social distancing guidelines, after photos emerged of packed beaches in Florida.

Rome 

Meanwhile, Italy’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has risen to 3,405, surpassing the 3,245 fatalities reported in China.

The death toll rose by 14.3 per cent from Wednesday, the Italian Civil Protection Agency said in its daily bulletin, also reporting a 14.9-per-cent hike in the total number of contagions, to 41,035.

Recoveries are up by 10.3 per cent to 4,440, while the number of intensive care patients – a closely watched figure given the shortage of hospital beds – has risen by 10.7 per cent, to 2,498.

Lombardy, which surrounds Milan, remains the region worst hit by the outbreak, with nearly 20,000 cases and 2,168 deaths.

Lazio, the region that includes Rome, reports 823 cases and 38 deaths.