ABUJA — The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, has confirmed two cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant in the country.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had labelled the new variant a Variant of Concern (VOC) after it was seen to be more transmissible with increased risk of re-infection.
A statement signed by the Director-General said the two cases were discovered through genomic sequencing.
Adetifa said the cases were detected in two passengers who came into the country from South Africa, adding the patients were asymptomatic and contact tracing had begun.
The statement read in part: “Genomic sequencing of positive cases from routine day two testing for travellers to Nigeria identified two cases of Omicron variant among travellers from South Africa who arrived in Nigeria last week.
“Retrospective sequencing of previously confirmed cases among travelers to Nigeria also identified the omicron variant among samples collected in October 2021.”
“In line with the routine travel test required of all international travelers and genomic sequencing at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) through its National Reference Laboratory (NRL), Abuja —confirmed Nigeria’s first case of the Omicron variant, also known as the B.1.1.529 lineage.
“Genomic sequencing of positive cases from routine day two test for all travelers to Nigeria identified two cases of Omicron variant among travelers from South Africa who arrived in Nigeria in the last week.
Adetifa, urged States to ensure strict compliance with preventive measures while ramping up sample collection and testing, especially with approved Antigen-based Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT).
He urged Nigerians to get vaccinated and adhere to the proven safety measures such as wearing face masks, regular hand washing and (or) sanitizing with alcohol-based sanitizers, and physical distancing.
Meanwhile, Canada has imposed a travel ban on Nigeria in a bid to halt the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
The North American country with a high influx from Nigeria announced this in the early hours of Wednesday.
So far, Canadian authorities have banned 10 countries over the new COVID variant.
They include South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt.
Omar Alghabra, Canadian Transport Minister, has said foreign nationals who had been to these countries in the previous 14 days would be temporarily banned from entering Canada.
He added that Canadians and permanent residents who have been in the 10 countries, even those who are fully vaccinated, must also be tested before entering Canada.
British Columbia also reportedly detected its first case of the new variant, with the individual having recently returned from Nigeria.
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