BIGDREAM

Image copyright AFP Image caption Democratic US Representatives practise social distancing as they discuss the stimulus bill President Trump has signed the largest-ever US financial stimulus package, worth $2tn (£1.7tn), as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. The House of Representatives passed the cross-party bill two days after the Senate debated its provisions. On Wednesday the number of Americans filing for unemployment surged to a record high of 3.3 million people. The US has more confirmed cases of coronavirus than any other country, with more than 100,000 positive tests. No Democratic lawmakers were invited to the historic signing ceremony, which was held at the White House, though the president thanked both parties "for coming together, setting aside their differences and putting America first". Mr Trump said the package was "twice as large" as any prior relief bill. "This will deliver urgently needed relief to our nation...

A file photo of the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, has warned that Nigeria may go into recession if the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues for the next couple of months. She stated this during her appearance on  Channels Television’s Politics Today  where she gave an update on measures taken to mitigate the effect of coronavirus on the nation’s economy. “We are hopeful that this pandemic will be limited in time,” the minister said during the interview on Friday. She added, “If it is an average of three months, we should be able to close the year with positive growth. But if it goes longer than that – six months, one year – we will go into recession.” READ ALSO :  COVID-19: World’s Economy In Recession, Worse Than In 2009 – IMF Chief According to Ahmed, the Federal and the state governments will struggle in terms of revenue, as long as the crude oil price is as low as $30 ...

A file photo of Nigerian music star, Davido, and his fiancee, Chioma. Nigerian music star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido says he has gone into self-isolation. He explained that he took the decision after his fiancée, Chioma, tested positive to coronavirus (COVID-19). The music star announced this on Friday via his verified Twitter handle. In the series of tweets, he noted that he recently returned to Nigeria from America after cancelling his tour, while Chioma also came back from London recently with their baby. Davido stated that although they had no symptoms and were perfectly fine, they decided to take the COVID-19 test on Wednesday along with the close associates they had recent contact with as a result of their travel history. “Unfortunately, my fiancée’s result came back positive while all 31 others tested have come back negative, including our baby. “We are, however, doing perfectly fine and she is even still yet to show any symptoms whatsoever,” he ...

A file photo of former President Olusegun Obasanjo Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday said he had donated his former residence at the Presidential Hilltop, Abeokuta, Ogun State for use as an Isolation Centre for victims of the new coronavirus disease. Obasanjo, in a statement by his spokesman, Kehinde Akinyemi, said the 32-room facility has been handed over to the Ogun state government for immediate takeover. According to Akinyemi’s statement, Obasanjo was concerned about the pandemic. “And I think those who can in one way or another assist in this situation should do so,” the statement quoted the former President as saying. The facility, located off the Presidential Boulevard, Oke Sari, Abeokuta has each of the 32 rooms ensuite, with a standby generator. On Friday evening, the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed five new cases of the coronavirus in Nigeria, bringing the total to 70. Across the world, more than 400,000 people have tested pos...

Enugu State has recorded two cases of the deadly coronavirus, the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed on Friday. It is the first time the disease has shown up in Nigeria’s south-east region. 11 new cases of  #COVID19  have been reported in Nigeria: 8 in Lagos, 2 in Enugu & 1 in Edo State As at 11:55pm 27th March, there are 81 confirmed cases of  #COVID19  reported in Nigeria. 3 have been discharged with 1 death.  pic.twitter.com/7p3v3qAcGM — NCDC (@NCDCgov)  March 27, 2020 According to the Enugu State Ministry of Health, the patients voluntarily contacted the government on arrival from the United Kingdom (UK) and requested for the COVID-19 test. “The Enugu State Government express her gratitude to these patients who reported to the Enugu State Ministry of Health following the announcement that all returnees from overseas in the last 14 days should report for evaluation,” the health ministry said in a statement sig...

French doctor Michael Bohbot displays a COVID-19 test kit at his office on March 25, 2020 in Ormesson-sur-Marne, a Paris suburb, on the tenth day of a strict lockdown in France aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. PHILIPPE LOPEZ / AFP A US-based lab has unveiled a portable test that can tell if someone has COVID-19 in as little as five minutes, it said in a statement Friday. Abbot Laboratories said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had given it emergency authorization to begin making the test available to healthcare providers as early as next week. The test, which is the size of a small toaster and uses molecular technology, also shows negative results within 13 minutes, the company said in a press statement. “The COVID-19 pandemic will be fought on multiple fronts, and a portable molecular test that offers results in minutes adds to the broad range of diagnostic solutions needed to combat this virus,” said Abbot pres...

A file photo of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (centre). Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, announced stringent measures to halt the coronavirus spread in the state on Friday. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Oyo now has three confirmed cases of the new coronavirus. “As a result of this, I have directed that the following additional measures be put in place: a dusk to dawn curfew (7 PM to 6 AM); no gatherings of more than ten people should be held anywhere in Oyo State,” Makinde said on Friday in a series of tweets. “From Sunday night, March 29, 2020, all markets will be closed except those selling perishable food items.” The Governor also suspended inter-state transportation, incoming and outgoing, except for vehicles carrying food items, medical, pharmaceutical and petroleum products. “This takes effect from Sunday night, March 29, 2020,” Makinde said. “All measures will be reviewed on a weekly basis.” Seyi Makinde @seyiamakinde ...