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In schools and offices, China steps up virus tests

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5 years ago

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Chinese tech giant Sina set up a special room in its Beijing office for workers to be tested for the coronavirus. A school took swab samples from students before allowing them into classrooms. A traveller took the test before a trip to another province.Companies, schools and individuals across China are lining up to be tested for the virus as the country rises back to normal life after largely taming the epidemic.

Biotech firms are ramping up production of test kits with demand growing despite lingering questions over their accuracy, while the government is pushing for more testing.

E-commerce titans Alibaba and JD have facilitated nucleic acid tests for individuals at a number of designated places — including two Beijing hotels — for prices ranging between 200 yuan ($28) and 260 yuan ($36).

JD said its reservation page has had more than three million views since the service was launched in mid-April.

And at Sina, the parent company of China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform, employees can get tested whenever they want in a specially repurposed room.

Where most testing had previously focused on those with symptoms, especially in the central city of Wuhan where the virus first emerged, demand is now soaring across China.

Beijing has seen some of the most strident demand, with many taking the test before business trips, and a drive-through service set up in one of the capital’s districts.

At a private school run by the Hailiang Group in Zhuji, eastern Zhejiang province, some 20,000 students and teachers have taken the test since April 13.

Samples were taken from students on the playground as they stood 1.5 metres (five feet) apart from each other. They were only authorised to go to class after getting a negative result.

“Although the epidemic in China has now been effectively controlled, we still have some concerns,” said high school senior Tao Xiaxin.

But the school’s policies have “completely reassured us”, he added.

Shanghai writer Mao Li took the test on Saturday for her upcoming holiday in Zhejiang.

Her hotel required a nucleic acid test report because she had previously travelled to the southern city of Guangzhou, which was considered a relatively high-risk area a week ago.

“It’s very convenient to do the test in Shanghai,” Mao Li said. “I went to the test station and after lining up for 20 minutes it was my turn.”

In Guangzhou, meanwhile, more than 30,000 taxi drivers were tested last week along with 208,000 teachers and students.

‘Bad tests’
China had ramped up capacity to produce more than four million testing kits a day by early April, according to officials.

But the quality of tests has come under scrutiny.

There is a 50 to 70 percent chance the virus can be detected through nucleic acid tests, Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at China’s Centre for Disease Control, told state broadcaster CCTV this week.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, a strident critic of Beijing, angered China after accusing the country of sending “fake” and “bad” tests.

“There’s a lot of these antibody tests coming in from China now that are low quality, false readings and things like that,” Navarro told Fox News on Monday as the United States sought to ramp up its own testing capacity.

China’s National Medical Products Administration told AFP that tests for antibodies meet safety requirements and quality controls but that such products must be used together with nucleic acid tests.

As other countries seek testing kits for the virus and antibodies, Chinese firms insist their products are reliable.

Shao Junbin, the chairman of Shanghai testing kit provider Liferiver, told AFP that his company’s output capacity has increased 150 percent since starting production in January, to reach 500,000 per day.

Liferiver — which claims a 90 percent accuracy rate — has exported kits to European countries including France and Italy, two of the hardest-hit nations on the continent.

And the head of Australia’s mining firm Fortescue announced a deal this week to import 10 million kits from Chinese genomics firm BGI Group at a lower price than rival providers.

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Senator Ifeanyi Ubah dies at 52

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5 months ago

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July 27, 2024 12:58 pm

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The Senator representing Anambra South in the National Assembly, Ifeanyi Ubah, is dead.

Ubah, who was the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil, was said to have died in a hotel in London, the United Kingdom, on Saturday.

He would have been 53 on September 3.

Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, confirmed Ubah’s death to our correspondent on Saturday.

He said, “It’s confirmed, but I am sending an official statement soon.”

Ubah, who was re-elected into the 10th Senate under the Young Peoples Party, had last year defected to the All Progressive Congress.

In September 2022, Ubah escaped assassination when he was attacked by gunmen on his way to Nnewi in Enugwu-Ukwu in Anambra State.

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JUST IN: Edo state Assembly impeaches Deputy Governor Shaibu

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9 months ago

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April 8, 2024 10:48 am

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The Edo State House of Assembly, on Monday, impeached the state’s Deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

The impeachment followed the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the Assembly to probe allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.

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JUST IN: Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun joins ancestors at 81

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9 months ago

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March 15, 2024 3:56 am

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The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun has joined his ancestors after a brief illness.

He joined his ancestors at the age of 81.

It was gathered that the late monarch was taken to the hospital Wednesday morning having stayed indoor throughout Tuesday on account of slight malaria fever, though, he was hail and hearty on Monday during which he personally received few guests that paid him congratulatory visits on his second year anniversary on that day.

Making this announcement was the Baba-Kekere Olubadan and his younger brother, Dr Kola Balogun in a statement by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the late monarch, Oladele Ogunsola.

According to the statement, Dr. Balogun disclosed that Oba Balogun would be buried at his Aliiwo ancestral home by 4.00pm on Friday according to Islamic rites just as he said that the State Governor Seyi Makinde, though already verbally informed, would be formally notified early in the morning.

The late Olubadan was the first most educated to have emerged as Ibadan monarch, a British trained P.hd holder, a former university lecturer, former member of management staff of Shell British Petroleum, former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Nigeria People’s Party, NPP, former Senator and a successful business man.

His last official outing was the Olubadan Advisory Council’s meeting which he presided over last Saturday where the decision to derobed Mogaji Akinsola, Olawale Oladoja was taken.

He however, on Tuesday instructed the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade to midwife a small committee to deliberate on last Friday’s decision on what should be the position of Ibadan Zone in the proposed newly reconstituted Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

The decision of the small committee was earlier on Thursday ratified by the Olubadan Advisory Council at a meeting presided over by Otun Olubadan and the former governor of Oyo State, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja and was to be taken to the late Oba Balogun for his signature Friday morning so as to meet the deadline for submission to the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters later in the day.

The late Olubadan is survived by wives, children and grandchildren.

Announcing the passage of the monarch, Governor Makinde, in a statement, stated that Olubadan, who joined his ancestors late Thursday evening at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, described him as an epitome of royal excellence and a great achiever, who made great marks on Ibadanland in just a little over two years of his reign.

He expressed his condolences to the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State, praying to God to grant repose to the soul of the deceased monarch.

Makinde said: “With total submission to the will of God, I announce the passing unto glory of our father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Mohood Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“A mighty Iroko has fallen; Oba Dr. Balogun has joined the ancestors.

“In Kabiyesi, Ibadanland had a cosmopolitan and well-experienced Olubadan, who made indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short while.

“On behalf of the Government and good People of Oyo State, I condole with the immediate family of the Oba Dr. Balogun, the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland.

“It is my prayer that God grants repose to the soul of our late monarch.”

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