By CALLISTUS OFFOR, Abuja –
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant in the country.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the NCDC Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, said the three cases were linked to passengers from South Africa
Recalled that the Omicron variant, a new strain of the coronavirus disease, was reported by South Africa and first detected in Botswana.
Following the discovery, countries such as the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Israel among others placed travel bans on southern African countries.
Similarly, the government of Canada had also stated that it discovered two cases of the variant from two passengers from Nigeria. The Federal Government through the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, however, said that it was investigating the issue to get more details.
However, the NCDC on Wednesday morning said three cases of the variant were discovered through genomic sequencing. The public health agency linked the cases to two passengers from South Africa.
The statement reads in part, “
“This genomic surveillance has now identified and confirmed Nigeria’s first cases of the B.1.1.529 SARS-CoV-2 lineage, now known as the Omicron variant. Samples obtained for the stipulated day two test for all travelers to Nigeria were positive for this variant in three persons with history of travel to South Africa.
“These cases were recent arrivals in the country in the past week. Follow up to ensure isolation, linkage to clinical care, contact tracing and other relevant response activities have commenced. Arrangements are also being made to notify country where travel originated according to the provisions of the International Health Regulations”.
“The NCDC assumes Omicron is widespread globally given the increasing number of countries reporting this variant. Therefore, it is a matter of when, not if, we will identify more cases. We continue to expand our sequencing capacity in-country at the NCDC-NRL, through our network of public health laboratories and other partners. Our focus is to complete sequencing of recently accrued samples of SARS-COV-2 positive travellers from all countries, especially those from countries that have reported the Omicron variant already”.
“Since reports of the emergence of this Omicron variant, the Federal Ministry of Health through the NCDC has intensified public health response measures to COVID-19 in Nigeria. The national travel advisory has also been revised by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and now requires all inbound travelers to Nigeria present a negative COVID-19 test result done not more than 48hrs before departure”.
“Pre-booking and payment for all day 2 and day 7 COVID-19 PCR tests are prerequisites for travel. In addition, all outbound passengers regardless of the requirements of destination countries are expected to present evidence of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test done not later than 48 hours before departure”, the statement said..
NCDC, however, appealled to Nigerians to adhere strictly to these travel protocols and other public safety measures to protect themselves, families, friends, the community at large and to prevent a fourth wave of COVID-19 in the country.
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