12 May: Guardian: Global report: Fauci warns of ‘needless death’ as WHO urges vigilance in lifting lockdowns
by Alison Rourke
The World Health Organization has called on countries to show “extreme vigilance” when loosening Covid-19 restrictions as the top US infectious diseases expert, Anthony Fauci, warned that prematurely reopening the American economy would cause “needless suffering and death”...
Fauci told the New York Times he intended to tell the Senate health, education, labor and pensions committee on Tuesday that Americans would experience “needless suffering and death” if the country opened prematurely.
“If we skip over the checkpoints in the guidelines to: ‘Open America Again’ then we risk the danger of multiple outbreaks throughout the country. This will not only result in needless suffering and death, but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal,” Fauci said in an email...
Fauci had been a regular at that podium at White House briefings before Trump reduced his prime-time appearances in favour of set-piece ones...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/12/who-calls-for-extreme-vigilance-as-antony-fauci-warns-of-needless-suffering-and-death-coronavirus-covid-19
11 May: BBC: Coronavirus lockdown: Two hotels demolished in Nigeria ‘for breach of rules’
By Nduka Orjinmo, BBC News, Lagos
The authorities in Nigeria’s oil-rich southern Rivers state have demolished two hotels over an alleged breach of lockdown rules intended to contain the spread of coronavirus.
State Governor Nyesom Wike, who supervised the tearing down of Edemete Hotel and Prodest Home on Sunday, said the operators had flouted an order that hotels should be closed...
The managers of both businesses have been arrested, but the owner of Prodest Home has denied that his hotel was open.
“The hotel was not operating and 70% of the staff had been sent away,” Gogorobari Promise Needam told the BBC.
“There were only three people on ground.
“[Officials] came in and were asking for bribe, they said they would let us operate if we gave them money but we said we were not operational so had no money to give,” he said.
The Rivers state government denies the accusation.
The state currently has 15 active cases of the virus and has recorded two deaths...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52617552
11 May: All Africa: Nigeria: Wike Lifts Lockdown On Port Harcourt Metropolis
Reprieve has come the way of residents of Port Harcourt metropolis as the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday announced the temporary lifting of the total lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas for two days only with effect from today.
The governor also explained that the state demolished the hotel in Eleme because in addition to violating extant laws of the state, the proprietor of the hotel also unleashed thugs and inflicted severe injuries on members of the state task force who went to enforce directives of the state government.
In a state broadcast late Sunday night, Wike said the total lockdown of the two local government areas that make up Port Harcourt metropolis would be lifted on Tuesday and Wednesday but would be reinstated on Thursday...
“All shops, supermarkets, and malls can open to the public for Tuesday and Wednesday. Similarly, all hospitals and banks can also open and provide full services to the public.
“While oil and gas companies are required to submit the list of their staff on essential duties to the state government, note that there is no ban on the lifting of petroleum products from depots and other receptacles.
“The total lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas will be reinstated on May 14, 2020, and remain until further notice.”
Wike said all other established restrictions under the Executive Orders on social distancing are still in force.
These, he stated, included compulsory wearing of face mask or scarfs in vehicles and public places; closure of all land, sea and air borders and entry routes into the state, and closure of all open markets, including slaughters, hotels, guest houses, cinemas, bars and restaurants.
https://allafrica.com/stories/202005120059.html
8 May: Bloomberg: Next Africa: Lifting Lockdowns May Not Be a Choice
By Antony Sguazzin and Pauline Bax
Across sub-Saharan Africa, governments are lifting coronavirus lockdowns.
Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda and South Sudan have all eased restrictions in recent days, while markets and churches are reopening in Burkina Faso. Angola is looking at relaxing curbs on movement next week.
None of these decisions are being made because the peak of the Covid-19 outbreak in Africa is thought to have passed, but because the alternatives include starvation and political instability. Unlike in Europe or North America, those under lockdown across Africa have little access to financial support, and many people’s livelihoods depend on informal commerce.
Even in Johannesburg, Africa’s richest city, Mayor Geoff Makhubo says a million people, or almost a fifth of the population, will need food aid. In poorer countries, the situation is worse...
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2020-05-08/next-africa-lifting-lockdowns-may-not-be-a-choice?srnd=premium-africa
12 May: Bloomberg: Executives Warn Lockdown Hurts South Africa More Than Virus
By Michael Cohen and Loni Prinsloo
FAUCI & ALL PRO-LOCKDOWN TYRANTS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS (WITH MORE TO COME) IN DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.