The Nigeria Center for Disease Control has on 1st of December announced the country’s first two cases of Omicron Variant.
Why it matters?
Omicron variant is the latest variant of the Covid-19 virus. Botswana recorded the first case, while South Africa reported the variant. WHO last week has declared the variant a “variant of concern”. In response to this development, countries have placed travel restrictions on the South African region.
The NCDC Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa in a statement on Wednesday morning has announced Nigeria’s first two cases. The statement says, “In line with the routine travel tests required of all international travellers, genomic sequencing at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control through its National Reference Laboratory, Abuja, confirms Nigeria’s first case of the Omicron variant.”
“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.”