The International Press Centre (IPC) has called for the protection of journalists covering the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in Nigeria.
In a statement on Tuesday signed by Lanre Arogundade, the Director of the centre, IPC urged media owners to give their reporters necessary protective gadgets and medications where required.
The statement read: “From provision with protective wears and adequate supply of basics such as hand sanitizers, nothing can be too much to do for journalists on the field at this moment”
According to him, journalists covering Covid-19 also deserve to be placed on a special insurance package.
He also advised journalists to avail themselves of all the health tips on avoiding Covid-19 infection especially as outlined by global health bodies and national health institutions.
“Journalists should apply necessary caution so as not to expose themselves to avoidable health risk in the understandable urge to cover breaking stories on the pandemic”, he stressed.
Arogundade also charged journalists and other media professionals to exercise professional restraint and ensure that all supposed breaking stories on Covid-19 are fact-checked to mitigate the spread of false or misleading information.
Politics Nigeria reports that four new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) were confirmed the country on Monday night, bringing the total number of cases to 40.
The NCDC, on its Twitter handle @NCDCgov, on Monday said that three out of the four cases are in Lagos while the remaining one is in Abuja.
According to the agency, two of the cases are returning travellers.
It wrote: “Four new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria.
“Three are in Lagos State and one in the FCT. Two of these cases are returning travellers.
“As of 11:00pm on March 23, there are 40 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. Two have been discharged with one death recorded.”
Breakdown of cases by states (as of Monday night):
Lagos- 28
FCT- 7
Ogun- 2
Ekiti- 1
Oyo- 1
Edo- 1
Total: 40 confirmed cases
