The health community in Nigeria has been advised to activate its rapid response mechanism following a warning about the possible incursion of a new strain of Covid-19 in the country.
The XEC strain is believed to have been detected in Australia and has already spread to 29 other countries.
A letter from the Federal Ministry of Health to ‘The Chairman, Committee of Chief Medical Directors’ dated 5th December 2024, reads:
“I am directed to inform you of a newly detected XEC COVID-19 variant, which has been detected in Australia and has already spread to 29 countries globally. (Letter attached).
You may wish to know that this variant has shown a growth advantage over other circulating strains, raising concerns about its potential impact on public health.
“Alert systems should immediately be activated throughout our hospitals for high index of suspicion in patients with COVID-like symptoms.
“We request your committee to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to share critical data and implement enhanced monitoring protocols.
Timely information sharing among relevant stakeholders including Federal Ministry of Health will be vital for effective response strategies.”
The letter is signed by Dr. O.N. Anuma, Head, Teaching Hospital Division, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary.
The first known case of COVI-19 was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been a number of prominent variants, including Alpha, Beta, Delta, Omicron, and XEC.
The XEC strain was first detected in Germany in June 2024 and has since spread to 27 countries.
It has been found in several countries across Europe, Asia, and North America, with at least 600 confirmed cases in the past four months.
Countries affected include Germany, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, China, Norway, Poland, and the Netherlands.
Alarm Over New COVID 19 Strain In Nigeria is first published on The Whistler Newspaper