The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed three new cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in the country.
Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, Director-General of the NCDC, said in a statement that the new cases brought the total number of people infected by the variant to six, and that all of those infected had a history of travel to South Africa.
On December 1, the Omicron variant was first announced in Nigeria.
With the introduction of the variant, more travel bans have been imposed around the world, including one imposed by the United Kingdom on Nigeria.
According to Adetifa, the Delta variant is still the dominant variant in Nigeria, and the Omicron variant is not as common as it has been reported in other countries.
He went on to say that the Omicron variant was a source of global concern due to its increased risk of transmissibility and ability to evade protective immune responses.
“When taken together, and if true, the Omicron variant has the potential to significantly alter the current global COVID-19 epidemiology.”
“At this time, there is no evidence of widespread or community transmission of this variant in Nigeria.”
“In accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005) reporting framework, the UK has notified Nigeria of seven cases of travellers from Nigeria carrying the Omicron variant.”
“Given reports of an increase in Omicron cases in the UK, the NCDC is also prioritizing the sequencing of COVID-19 positive samples from people who have traveled to the UK.”
“Viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, naturally mutate over time.” Since the discovery of SARS-CoV-2, several mutations have occurred, resulting in the emergence of new lineages.
“This will continue to happen as long as the world does not act collaboratively to significantly reduce transmission through vaccination and adherence to safety protocols,” he said.
“We expect any variant to be identified quickly; if it emerges anywhere, we are urging Nigerians to take known COVID-19 prevention measures, such as vaccination and safety protocols,” Adetifa advised.p
He also stated that all international visitors arriving in Nigeria from any country must follow the travel protocols established by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19.
“Incoming travelers should ensure that their Day 2 and Day 7 tests are completed in accordance with Nigeria’s travel advisory.”
“Defaulters will face consequences, including publication of their information, suspension of their passports, and a ban on travel to Nigeria,” Adetifa warned.