COVID-19: CBN, Dangote, UBA, FirstBank, Access Bank, Fidelity, Ecobank’s contributions hit N19.4bn; NCDC confirms two deaths in Lagos, Edo; Joshua vs Pulev heavyweight title fight postponed; South Africa to conduct mass community testing; Americans to wear non-medical masks; Ekiti confirms second case; Ogun Police appeal to residents to stay at home; Catholic Church donates to Enugu Govt

The Nigeria Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has so far realised N19.4 billion to help fight COVID-19 pandemic.
The update of the contribution was made known in a document released by Mr Isaac Okorafor, Director, Communications of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Abuja on Friday.
Okorafor disclosed that Wacot Rice Limited, Tolaram Africa Enterprises and Bank of Industry made donations of N500 million each.
He said former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar among other donors gave N50 million to the relief fund.
CBN and Aliko Dangote were the highest contributors of two billion naira each.
Abdul Samad Rabiu (BUA Sugar Refinery), Segun Agbaje (GTB), Tony Elumelu (UBA),  Oba Otudeko (First Bank),  Jim Ovia (Zenith Bank), Herbert Wigwe (Access Bank) and Femi Otedola of Amperion Power Distribution donated one billion naira each to the relief fund and Deji Adeleke of Pacific Holding Ltd made N500 million donation.
Union Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Citi Bank Nigeria Ltd, FCMB, Fidelity Bank, ECOBank, African Steel Mills donated N250 million each and Multichoice Nigeria Limited contributed N200 million, among others.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says as at April 3, there were the 26 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded in Nigeria.
The NCDC also said that till date, 210 cases have been confirmed, 25 cases have been discharged and four deaths from COVID-19 recorded in Nigeria
The centre said of the 26 new cases reported on April 3, 11 are in Lagos, eight are in Osun, three are in FCT, three are in Edo and one in Ondo.
NCDC confirmed deaths of two COVID-19 patients in Lagos and Edo.
NCDC, through its verified Twitter account on Friday night, however, did not give further details about the patient’s sex or medical history.
It added that 20 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 210, while 25 patients have been discharged  and four deaths recorded.
The NCDC said that of the 20 new cases, Lagos has 11, Abuja and Edo has three cases each; Osun- two and Ondo State has one case.
A breakdown of the cases by state shows that Lagos now has 109 cases; Abuja- 41; Osun- 22; Oyo- eight; Edo- seven; Akwa Ibom- five; Ogun and Kaduna four cases each.
Others are: Bauchi- three; Enugu and Ekiti- two cases each, while Rivers, Benue and Ondo State has one case respectively.
Earlier, the Ondo State Government had announced its first index case, adding that the index case was a military officer who had been on isolation after his return from India.
Data from the Africa Centre for Disease Control (AfricaCDC) shows that there are 7,028 COVID-19 cases, 284 deaths, and 561 recoveries in Africa.
Meanwhile, the world heavyweight title fight between Briton Anthony Joshua and IBF’s mandatory challenger, Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria, originally scheduled for June 20 has been postponed, promoters Matchroom Boxing said on Friday.
Joshua’s defence of his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles was set to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
But the coronavirus outbreak has brought global sport to a standstill, with no competition taking place in the UK.
“A new date for the event… is currently being worked on,” Matchroom Boxing said in a statement.
“We will announce any updates in due course and continue to explore the possibility of hosting this fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.”
Pulev said last month the fight would take place “towards the end of the year” due to the outbreak and that he would have no problem fighting without spectators in attendance.
It marks the second time their bout has not gone ahead as planned.
Joshua was initially due to fight Pulev at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in October 2017, but the Bulgarian withdrew after suffering a shoulder injury in sparring.
Pulev had previously challenged for the IBF world heavyweight title in 2014 but lost to Wladimir Klitschko in Hamburg when he was knocked out in the fifth round.
The 30-year-old Joshua reclaimed the WBA, WBO and IBF belts with a unanimous points win over Andy Ruiz Jr in December.
In South Africa, the government will conduct mass community testing for coronavirus as cases continued to rise, according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
An uptick in local transmissions prompted the need to prepare for mass community testing, the minister said while updating the nation on the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Until Friday, the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in South Africa has risen to 1,505, an increase of 43 from Thursday’s figure, Mkhize said.
Two more patients have died, both in KwaZulu-Natal Province, bringing the death toll to seven, he said.
The two victims were an 80-year-old man who died on April 1 and an 81-year-old woman who died on April 2, according to Mkhize.
With more local transmissions, South Africa is going to roll out mass community testing, Mkhize said in Khayelitsha, an impoverished township in Cape Town, where several positive cases have been reported.
“We have identified areas of priority,” he said without elaboration, adding that “we are ready to give additional support and reinforcement to the areas that need assistance.”
Mkhize said densely populated areas such as townships have reported COVID-19 cases, giving the pandemic a “new dynamic.”
The government wants to hit these areas first when it comes to taking measures to curb the spread, said Mkhize.
On Wednesday, the minister launched 60 mobile sampling and testing units in a bid to scale up the capacity of testing citizens across the country.
These units are part of the massive testing project announced late last month by President Cyril Ramaphosa, where workers will go out to different areas to test people for COVID-19.
South Africa, which reported its first case on March 5, has the largest number of COVID-19 infections on the African continent.
In the United States (U.S.), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising Americans to wear “non-medical cloth face coverings” as an added public heath measure, President Donald Trump said.
Trump emphasised that the guidelines are not an order but a recommendation.
“This is voluntary, I don’t think I’m going to be doing it,” he added.
The CDC is recommending that Americans wear “a basic cloth or fabric mask that can either be purchased online or simply made at home.”
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Government has assured the people of the state that adequate prevention measures have been put in place to contain the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus in the state, saying that health workers have been strategically stationed at the various  borders points with infrared thermometers to test those coming in and going outside the state.
Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Moji Yaya-Kolade, made this known on Thursday while briefing journalists on the new patient that tested positive to covid-19  shortly after the discharge of the index case.
According to the commissioner, “The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced a positive case of Covid-19 infection in Ekiti State. Thus, we can confirm that we have a patient in our isolation center whose test returned positive as announced.
“The patient is a 42 -year-old male indigene, who travels often by the nature of his job. While we are still processing more of his information, we can confirm that he has been to the airport in Lagos in the last 14 days, which could account for his infection.
“In line with standard case management protocol, we have admitted him into the isolation centre while the environmental team will be going to disinfect his premises as soon as possible. The isolation centre has also been disinfected accordingly.”
The Health Commissioner said the state contact tracing team commenced tracing of all the contacts of the confirmed case in the last 14 days, for guidance on self-isolation and symptoms monitoring within the stipulated period adding that this particular case was not with any significant symptoms and is very stable.
She also affirmed that there was another suspected COVID-19 case, who is currently quarantined, pending the availability of his test result. The patient according to the commissioner is a 23-year-old male, who initially manifested some symptoms and was placed on symptomatic treatment and investigations by health officials.
Dr Yaya-Kolade urged residents to comply with Governor Kayode Fayemi’s directives to stay at home and observe preventive measures of frequent hand washing with soap under running water, avoid bodily contact with anyone, cough or sneeze into curved elbow, disinfect surfaces regularly and maintain social distancing. The Commissioner promised that government would continue to update the people on further developments on the pandemic.
In Ogun State, the State Police Command, on Saturday, appealed to residents to comply strictly with the directive of staying at home during the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown in the state.
The Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Bimbola Oyeyemi, made the  appeal in Ota, Ogun.
The total lockdown in the state due to the Coronavirus pandemic, commerced at 11 pm.on Friday.
According to him, the lockdown is for the good of everybody in the state.
Oyeyemi said that those who were exempted and permitted to move during the lockdown should have valid means of identification.
“The Police want to enjoin the residents in the state only if they are part of those exempted to go out, pls stay in your house,” he said.
The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson, had sensitised his officials to guard against excesses or misused of power during the lockdown.
He assured the residents that his personnel would carry out the lockdown directive without  tampering on anybody’s right.
Oyeyemi added that the personnel would be civil in carrying out their duties during the COVID-19 lock down.
In response to the appeal made by the Enugu State Government for support  in  its efforts in  containing  the spread of  COVID-19 pandemic  in the state,  the Catholic Church  in Enugu State  has donated some materials  to the  state government. 
Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, Bishop of Awgu Diocese, Most Rev. John  Okoye and the  Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Father  Prof Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, who visited the State Multi-Sectoral Rapid Response Team for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, on Friday, made the donation  on behalf  of  the church.
The donation was received, on behalf of the team, by the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ifeanyi Agujiobi.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi thanked the Catholic Church for her solidarity, support , understanding, contributions and sacrifice towards ensuring compliance with the state government’s proactive safety measures to contain the  COVID-19 pandemic.