The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has confirmed that the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, has not yet been detected in the country.
The Omicron variant, believed to be highly transmissible was first detected in South Africa.
Speaking at the Presidential Steering Committee briefing in Abuja, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Ifedayo Adetifa, said there was no need to give in to speculations about the presence of the new variant in the country.
“I do not encourage citizens to waste energy on speculating. I think what we need to do is to focus on what we actually know. And what we know, for now, is that we do not have a case in Nigeria at the moment.
“Now, we have a pipeline of samples that are in process, whose results will be ready tomorrow, so this situation, of course, can change.””
He noted that although the variant has not been detected in the country, cases have been recorded in parts of the world, including the UK, Israel, Botswana, Hong Kong, Germany, Belgium, and Italy.
Adetifa said the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC are aware of reports of this new COVID-19 variant–the B.1.1.529 lineage and are monitoring emerging evidence on the new variant and its implication to inform Nigeria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He explained that the NCDC, in collaboration with Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health, has enhanced surveillance at airports and other entry points to ensure compliance with current travel guidance.
The NCDC boss maintained that the Centre would continue to ensure daily review of surveillance data, using same to inform public health decision making.
He further urged all states to ensure sample collection and testing are accessible so that travellers, especially people with symptoms or who might have been exposed to COVID-19 cases, get tested promptly.
Since the discovery of the new variant, the World Health Organization listed it as a “variant of concer“” as countries res”me travel restrictions from southern Africa, where the new strain was first detected and taking other further precautions.
