Coronavirus panic is spreading across Nigeria as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye cancelled church services, beginning from this Sunday even as the Senate stopped all public hearings, just as four more people have been confirmed positive to the virus.
Pastor Adeboye’s announcement of the cancellation of church services was passed to Pastors of the Church by the Assistant General Overseer in charge of Admin and Personnel, Pastor J.F. Odesola.
A memo issued today, March 19, dated March 18, 2020, said that the programme scheduled for Sunday, March 22, which has now been cancelled is with the theme: “Emerge.”
The memo explained that any Parish that has less than 50 members could go ahead with the service in the auditorium, but anyone with more than 50 should split into home fellowships for the purpose.
It said any parish that has the facility to run more than one service can do so, adding that officials of the church can be sent to such centres outside the church for statistics purposes.
It then advised members to hook onto Dove Television for live broadcasts from Pastor Adeboye.
The internal memo said: “Kindly be informed that this arrangement shall be in operation for the next few weeks, based on the position of the government.”
Also the Senate resolved today, March 19, to stop all public hearings and excursions to its building till further notice over the outbreak of Coronavirus.
The Senate decision came 24 hours after the House of Representatives resolved to ban visitors from the its building over the same issue.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan announced the stoppage of public hearings and closure of the Senate Gallery to visitors after a closed door session, which lasted for over one hour.
“Senate resolves to suspend all public hearings till further notice as a result of the Coronavirus and the Senate gallery will remain closed to the public till further notice, including excursions from schools and other organisations, from Tuesday, 24th March, 2020.”
Meanwhile, Lagos state government today, March 19, announced four new cases of coronavirus codenamed Covid-19 bringing the total number of positive cases in Nigeria to 12.
The commissioner for health, Prof Akin Abayomi, made the announcement at a press briefing in Lagos, saying that the four tests turned positive out of the 19 suspected cases and contacts of the five cases announced on Wednesday.
The ministry is currently tracking over 1,300 people suspected to be infected.
“What we have is a combination of imported cases and local transmission,” Prof Abayomi said.
