Omicron Case In Nigeria Dates Back To October, Weeks Before It Was First Reported In South Africa
Topline
Nigeria confirmed its first instances of the omicron coronavirus variant Wednesday, in accordance with a press release from the nation’s public well being institute, together with one case in a pattern courting again to October, suggesting the variant had been circulating for weeks earlier than being reported in South Africa final week.
Nigeria reported its first instances of omicron Wednesday.
AFP through Getty Photos
Key Details
The omicron variant of coronavirus was detected in three check samples taken from vacationers, the Nigeria Centre for Illness Management (NCDC) said in a press release.
One case was detected in a pattern taken from a traveler coming to Nigeria in October, in accordance with Nigeria CDC director-general Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, the Related Press reports.
The NCDC didn’t present another particulars on the traveler and mentioned the opposite two instances have been from vacationers arriving from South Africa final week.
The NCDC referred to as on the nation’s states for improved testing and urged the general public to be on excessive alert.
Ghana, South Korea and Norway additionally reported their first omicron instances Wednesday.
Key Background
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation, with 206 million folks, and was the third nation on the continent’s mainland to report the variant after South Africa and Botswana (Ghana has since reported instances of the variant). The invention of omicron in samples courting again to October underscore how little is but known concerning the new coronavirus variant after researchers in South Africa sounded the alarm final week. Specialists say it could possibly be weeks earlier than we all know whether or not the variant—which has a excessive variety of mutations—is extra immune to vaccines, extra transmissible or causes completely different sorts of illness. It’s not recognized whether or not omicron emerged in South Africa—which has an advanced genomic surveillance system—or was merely detected there after having emerged and unfold from an space with poorer surveillance. Regardless of this uncertainty, governments worldwide moved swiftly to shut off journey to South Africa and the encompassing area, one thing officers and the World Well being Group have complained unfairly punishes the nation for being clear and alerting the world to the specter of the brand new variant.
Tangent
4 fully-vaccinated folks in southern Germany have examined positive for the omicron variant, officers mentioned, three having returned from South Africa in late November (the fourth being a relative of one of many returnees). The nation is presently combating one of many world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks and on Wednesday reported its highest variety of deaths since mid-February.
Additional Studying
Nigeria detects first case of omicron variant from October (AP Information)
Journey Restrictions, Shares Down: Right here’s What To Know About Omicron, The New Extremely Mutated Covid Variant (Forbes)
Omicron Variant Highlights Risks of Low Vaccination Rates in Poor Countries (WSJ)
Heavily mutated Omicron variant puts scientists on alert (Nature)
Covid-19 ‘Is Not Accomplished With Us’: WHO Chief Urges Vaccine Fairness Over Boosters Amid ‘Very Excessive’ Danger Of Omicron Spreading Internationally (Forbes)
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