By Ajuma Edwina Ameh
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.
Two cases were discovered through genomic sequencing, according to the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa.
“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.
“Retrospective sequencing of previously confirmed cases among travellers to Nigeria also identified the Omicron variant among samples collected in October 2021,” he said in a statement obtained by Persecondnews.com
NCDC, however, said the two patients were asymptomatic and that contact tracing is ongoing.
