The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed two cases of first of the Omicron variant in the country.
The announcement formed part of a press statement released by the centre NCDC and signed by the Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa.
Dr. Adetifa on Wednesday morning said the two cases were discovered through genomic sequencing, linking the cases to two passengers from South Africa.
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The NCDC said the two patients were asymptomatic, saying tracing of contacts has already begun.
The statement confirming the discovery of the Omicron variant by the NCDC reads in part;
“In line with the routine travel tests required of all international travellers and 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 travelers to Nigeria also identified the omicron variant among samples collected in October 2021”.
The new Omicron variant of the coronavirus was reported by Southern Africa.
The variant was first detected in Botswana.
The discovery led to a travel ban on countries in South Africa by the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Israel among others.
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