Nigeria has detected its first case of the omicron coronavirus variant in a pattern it collected in October, weeks earlier than South Africa alerted the world in regards to the variant final week, the nation’s nationwide public well being institute stated Wednesday.
It’s the first West African nation that has recorded the omicron variant since scientists in southern Africa detected and reported it and provides to a listing of almost 20 nations the place the variant has been recorded, triggering journey bans internationally.
Genomic sequencing of constructive instances of COVID-19 in Nigeria recognized two instances of the omicron variant amongst vacationers from South Africa, the Nigeria Middle for Illness Management stated in an announcement issued by its director-general.
The 2 unidentified vacationers arrived within the West African nation final week, however the variant has additionally been confirmed in instances in Nigeria previous to their arrival.
“Retrospective sequencing of the beforehand confirmed instances amongst vacationers to Nigeria additionally recognized the omicron variant among the many pattern collected in October 2021,” Nigeria CDC director-general Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa stated.
A lot stays unknown in regards to the new variant, together with whether or not it’s extra contagious, as some well being authorities suspect, whether or not it makes folks extra critically in poor health, and if it may thwart the vaccine.
The Nigeria CDC urged the nation’s states and most people to be on alert and known as for improved testing amid considerations that Nigeria’s low testing capability would possibly turn out to be its greatest problem within the face of the brand new variant.
Testing for the virus is low in lots of states and even within the nation’s capital, Abuja. For example, in components of Kuje, a suburb of Abuja, Musa Ahmed, a public well being official, advised The Related Press that nobody has been examined for the virus for weeks.
The detection of the omicron variant in Africa’s most populous nation, with 206 million folks, coincides with Nigeria’s new requirement that every one federal authorities staff have to be inoculated or current a damaging COVID-19 check end result carried out within the final 72 hours.
With the vaccine mandate taking impact on Wednesday, there have been chaotic scenes at a number of workplaces within the nation’s capital as civil servants with no vaccination card or a damaging PCR check have been turned away by safety brokers.
Lots of the employees and safety brokers weren’t sporting face masks.
“Governments ought to put money into selling narratives round vaccine security, efficacy, and the broader public well being safety implications of poor vaccines uptake,” Adewunmi Emoruwa, lead strategist at Gatefield, an Abuja-based consultancy. “If public servants are satisfied about these points, they’re naturally simpler advocates to their constituents.”
Throughout Nigeria, the information of the omicron variant — which the World Well being Group has warned poses “very excessive” threat — has triggered considerations and renewed fears over the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the airport in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest metropolis and financial hub, authorities insisted that vacationers should put on their face masks on the counters, although not a lot consideration is paid to many others flouting well being protocols across the airport premises and within the metropolis.
Nigeria — with 214,218 confirmed infections together with almost 3,000 deaths — has up to date its journey advisory, ordering incoming worldwide vacationers to have a PCR check 48 hours earlier than embarking on their journey to the nation and two extra checks, two days and 7 days after arrival. Incoming worldwide arrivals should additionally isolate for seven days.
Amid world concern over the omicron variant, the Nigeria CDC director-general advised reporters that the nation stays at alert within the face of the rising disaster.
“We’re working very laborious to boost ongoing surveillance, particularly for inbound vacationers, and in addition making an attempt to ramp up testing (together with) on the land borders,” he stated.
A slew of countries moved to ban travels from many nations particularly southern African nations within the aftermath of the emergence of the omicron variant. However the transfer has been extensively condemned by many together with South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, who’s at present in Nigeria on a two-day go to.
