The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has detected a confirmed case of the SARS-CoV-2, known as the Delta variant in Nigeria.

NCDC director-general Chikwe Ihekweazu said the variant was detected in a traveller to Nigeria, following the routine travel test required of all international travellers and genomic sequencing at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory, Abuja.

“As part of Nigeria’s COVID-19 response, NCDC has been working with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) African Centre for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) and other laboratories within the national network to carry out genomic sequencing.

”This is to enable the detection of variants of concern and initiate response activities. All data on variants from Nigeria have been published on GISAID, a global mechanism for sharing sequencing data. Given the global risk of spread of the Delta variant, positive samples from international travellers to Nigeria are sequenced regularly,” he explained.

Mr Ihekweazu stated that the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had initiated several measures to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 by introducing travel restrictions for countries where there is a surge in cases associated with the widespread prevalence of “variants of concern.”

The NCDC boss further said, “The national travel protocol, which includes compulsory seven-day self-isolation and repeat test on the seventh day after arrival, are in place to reduce the risk of spread of the virus. It is very important that this is strictly adhered to, to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases in Nigeria.”

Given the high transmissibility of the Delta variant and following its detection in Nigeria, the NCDC boss urged Nigerians to ensure strict adherence to public health and social measures in place.

(NAN)