COVID-19: Confirmed Case Of Delta Variant Detected In Nigeria

The Federal government of Nigeria has said a case of the dangerous delta variant has been detected in a traveller in the country.

In a statement issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Thursday night, sighted by OnyxNews Nigeria noted that the development raises a critical concern.

Titled ‘SARS-CoV-2,’ and also known as ‘lineage B.1.617.2.,’ the delta variant has been described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the ‘most transmissible variant.’

According to WHO, the variant is responsible for the spike in about 90 countries across the world where it has been reported.

Speaking on June 26 on the variant, the WHO’s director-general, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said a surge in cases translates to more hospitalisations, which he noted has continued to stretch healthcare workers and health systems “while putting more at risk of death.”

Mr Ghebreyesus acknowledged that new variants were expected, saying “that’s what viruses do, they evolve”. He said that by preventing transmission, “we can stem the emergence of variants”.

“It’s quite simple: more transmission, more variants. Less transmission, less variants,” he said, noting that it is even more urgent today to prevent transmission by consistently using public health and social measures along with vaccines.

The Nigeria’s disease centre said it is not yet confirmed how the new variant reacts to the vaccines in circulation.

In its statement on Thursday night, the NCDC authorities said it was able to identify the variant through the country’s concerted efforts to combat the spread of the pandemic in the country.

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The statement by the NCDC said it was recorded in a traveller to Nigeria at its national reference laboratory in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

READ FULL STATEMENT BELOW..