Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) and was declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020 which is leading to significant morbidity and mortality. In compliance with WHO recommendation of movement restrictions, many countries have imposed compulsory self-quarantine and restricted movements of their citizenries (lockdown/sit at home) and closure of businesses and borders as preventive measures to the fast-spreading virus. Consequently, this decision has made the emergence of behaviors that are detrimental to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) which are the leading cause of the global mortality rate. Main body The increase in sedentary lifestyles, alcohol consumption, and substance abuse during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown as a result of personal restrictions in COVID-19 lockdown is linked with the risk of death from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Conclusion The lockdown has increased risk factors of CVDs, and as such, there might be an increase in the number of non-communicable disease (NCD)-related mortality rate. The effect does not end during the period of coronavirus pandemic but even after the pandemic.

The study examined the incidence of the rate of Neonatal Mortality in Nigeria. The incidence tested with use of Time Series Analysis (ARIMA). The trend plot of the incidence shows that there has been steady decrease in the incidence rate over the years. The series was stationarity using the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) Test, the result found to be stationary. The Correlogram of the incidence also supports the stationarity of the series at 1% level of significance. The model that best describes the incidence was tested using the Box-Jenkins four step procedures, which involve identification, explanation, diagnostic and forecasting. ARMA (1, 1), and ARIMA (1, 1, 1) models were tested, and ARIMA (1, 1, 1) model happens to be the best model that best fits the series. The time series analysis shows that neonatal mortality rate has reduced by 17.8% from 51. 7% in the year 1990 to 33. 9% in the year 2017.

This study aimed at evaluating the health benefits of popular Moringa oleifera leaf. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of the leaf at two different concentrations (1:1 and 1:2) was used to determine the phytochemical screening and its antibacterial activity. Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumonia and Staphlococcus aureus were used in this study, applying agar diffusion methods. The phytochemical screening indicated presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloid, flavonoids, anthraquinones, tannins and phenol in both extracts making it to have antibacterial potentials. Both extract showed remarkable activity against the growth of the selected bacteria; nevertheless, the methanol extract had more antibacterial activity than the water extract, more so the extracts were discovered to be more active at higher concentration. The water extract was not active at low concentration, that is 1:1 but had diameter zone of inhibition of 10 mm each for 1:2 concentration. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) that inhibits these bacterial ranged between 1:4 and 1:16 and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) that kills the growth of the bacterial isolates completely was 1:16. The result of this study showed that M. oleifera could be a valuable antibacterial drug in the treatment of infections caused by the test organisms.

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Background: Regular physical activity is an important factor in the promotion of health and quality of life among individuals with asthma. There is a dearth of information on the relationship between knowledge of benefit of physical activity and physical activity level among individuals with asthma in Kano State, Nigeria. Aim: To determine the relationship between the knowledge of benefit of physical activity and physical activity level among individuals with asthma in Kano State, Nigeria. Methodology: Seventy-four (74) participants were recruited from two selected hospitals in Kano State in a cross sectional study. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)-short Form and Knowledge Questionnaire were used to collect information on self-reported physical activity in the last 7 days and level of knowledge of benefit of physical activity respectively. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the data and Spearman Rank Correlation test were used to analyze the data at alpha level of 0.05. Results: A positive relationship existed between overall knowledge of benefit of physical activity and physical activity level among the participants. The majority of the participants were males 43 (58.1%). About 41 (55.4%) were in the age group of 18-35 years, most of them 32 (43.2%) were married. Knowledge assessment showed that 56 (75.7%) of them had low knowledge of benefit of physical activity. Physical activity level assessment revealed that 39 (52.7%) had low physical activity level. Negative relationship was observed between knowledge of benefit of physical activity and all socio-demographic studied (age, gender, marital status, tribe, education and occupation). A positive correlation existed between physical activity level and socio demographic variables (age, gender, marital status and tribe) except that a negative correlation was observed only between physical activity level with education and occupation. Conclusion: Knowledge of benefit of physical activity correlates positively with physical activity level among individuals with asthma in Kano State. Study population had low physical activity and low knowledge of benefit of physical activity.