Obire Efe Blog

GLOBAL PUSH FOR INQUIRY INTO COVID-19 RESPONSE Global health leaders are pushing for an independent review of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic at the UN’s World Health Assembly. Monday’s virtual meeting brings together envoys from 194 member states of the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO is facing questions on how it dealt with the coronavirus pandemic. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has defended his country’s actions during the outbreak, spoke during Monday’s opening ceremony. He said China had acted “with openness and transparency” and insisted that any investigation should happen after the pandemic was brought under control. In other opening remarks, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed a proposed resolution calling for a review of the WHO’s handling of the pandemic and said it would initiate it “at the earliest opportunity”. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the WHO must be given more legal powers to ensure that countr...

PROJECT RESTART: PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS ALLOWED TO TRAIN IN SMALL GROUPS FROM TUESDAY Premier League  clubs have agreed to stage one of the return to training protocols which allows teams to start training in small groups from Tuesday. Clubs voted unanimously on the decision at Monday’s “Project Restart” meeting. Players must observe social distancing rules, and contact training is not permitted. The first stage “has been agreed in consultation with players, managers, club doctors, independent experts and the government”. The Premier League statement added: “Strict medical protocols of the highest standard will ensure everyone returns to training in the safest environment possible. “The health and wellbeing of all participants is the Premier League’s priority, and the safe return to training is a step-by-step process. “Full consultation will now continue with players, managers, clubs, the PFA and LMA as protocols for full-contact training are developed.” The...

BUNDESLIGA: PLAYERS NEED TO RESPECT CLEAR GUIDELINES – ROBERT KLEIN Bundesliga  players will be reminded of the return-to-play guidelines before next weekend’s matches after Hertha Berlin’s players ignored them during Saturday’s 3-0 win at Hoffenheim. The DFL [German football league] has already said Hertha will not be punished for their celebrations. However, Bundesliga International chief executive Robert Klein says the guidelines need to be followed. “[There are] clear guidelines. We need everyone to respect them,” he said. “In the hygiene concept, the guideline is to celebrate within social distancing rules. One can imagine at the height of a goal being scored that maybe, sometimes, the players get closer. “The clubs are working actively with the players. They speak to them every day to remind them of what needs to be done to ensure we earn the right to a second match-day and a third and to finish the season.” SUCCESSFUL RETURN Klein regards the openin...

CHELSEA AND ENGLAND CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI WINGER ARRESTED AND BAILED Chelsea and England winger  Callum Hudson-Odoi  was arrested in the early hours of Sunday after police responded to a report of an unwell woman. An ambulance was called to an address in south-west London at 03:53 BST and the woman was taken to hospital. Hudson-Odoi, 19, was arrested at the scene. He has been released from custody and bailed to return to a police station in mid-June as inquiries continue. Chelsea have declined to comment. Hudson-Odoi, who has played three times for England, became the first Premier League player to test positive for coronavirus in March. But he made a full recovery and, like other Chelsea players, is waiting to return to training before any proposed re-start to the season. Visit  obireefe.com  for more stories

HOSPITALS IN BRAZIL’S SÃO PAULO ‘NEAR COLLAPSE’ The mayor of Brazil’s largest city, São Paulo, has said its health system could collapse as demand grows for emergency beds to deal with coronavirus cases. Bruno Covas said the city’s public hospitals had reached 90% capacity and could run out of space in two weeks. He accused those who flouted lockdown rules of playing “Russian roulette” with people’s lives. São Paulo is one of the country’s worst-hit regions, with almost 3,000 deaths so far. Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro has been strongly criticised both at home and abroad for his handling of the country’s escalating coronavirus crisis. He defied global health advice on social distancing on Sunday when he posed for photographs with supporters and children in the capital, Brasília. On Saturday, Brazil overtook Spain and Italy to become the country with the fourth-largest number of infections. The health ministry reported 7,938 new cases in the past...

LATE COMMISSIONER IN OYO TO BE IMMORTALIZED Oyo State  Governor Seyi Makinde on Monday said the state government would immortalize the late Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Kehinde Ayoola The Governor made the disclosure during a special valedictory executive council session in honour of the late former lawmaker. While extolling the virtues of Ayoola, the Governor pledged to personally take responsibility for the sponsorship of the educational pursuit for the deceased’s children to any level they would wish. He said the state government remained united with the family in bearing the lost, adding that the late commissioner was a loyal and dedicated friend who had moved with him from one political platform to another since he conceived the ambition of becoming Oyo state Governor some years back The secretary to the state government (SSG), Mrs. Olubanwo Adeosun, the head of service, Mrs. Amidat Agboola and some other members of the executive cou...

NIGERIA RECORDS 338 NEW CASES, TOTAL INFECTIONS NOW 5959 The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Sunday, recorded 338 new cases of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the total number of infections in Nigeria to 5959. The NCDC also said that six new patients have been confirmed dead to the virus in the country, bringing the total number of deaths to 182. According to the health agency, the 338 new cases were confirmed in 18 states. The 338 new cases were reported from: Lagos(177), Kano(64), FCT(21), Rivers(16), Plateau(14), Oyo(11), Katsina(9), Jigawa(4), Kaduna(4), Abia(3), Bauchi(3), Borno(3),Gombe(2), Akwa Ibom(2), Delta(2), Ondo(1), Kebbi(1), Sokoto(1). The NCDC stated that no new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours. The health agency said that till date, 5959 cases have been confirmed, 4183 Active Cases, 1594 cases have been discharged and 182 deaths have been recorded in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The News Agency of Nige...