The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare says there is no evidence that the new coronavirus variant XEC has been detected in Nigeria.

According to reports, the XEC variant of COVID-19 was first reported in Australia and has spread to about 29 other countries.

In a statement on Saturday, the ministry’s spokesperson, Alaba Balogun, clarified that the disease had not been detected in Nigeria and urged citizens to remain calm and adhere to universal hygiene precautions.

“You may recall that a newly detected COVID variant, XEC, was reported in Australia and has spread to about 29 countries globally and has shown a more virulence over other circulating strains with concern over its possible impact on service delivery in our federal tertiary hospitals.

“However, the good news is that there is no evidence of COVID variant XEC in Nigeria,” said Mr Balogun.

He said the statement became necessary to correct false information on social media about a resurgence of COVID-19 in Nigeria, as contained in a letter dated December 5.

However, Mr Balogun stated that the health and social welfare ministries, through relevant agencies, have stepped up surveillance, including at all entry points to the country.

“The federal government has proactively upgraded our federal tertiary hospitals by establishing molecular laboratories, isolation centres, and intensive care units equipped with ventilators,” he added.

He stressed the ministry’s commitment to implementing policies to strengthen the health system and ensure uninterrupted service delivery to Nigerians if an outbreak of the disease occurs in the country.