THE Federal Government has allayed fears about the spread of the new COVID-19 XEC variant which it said has hit about 29 countries across the globe.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare doused fears in a statement on Saturday, assuring that no evidence of the strain of the newly detected variant has been found in Nigeria.
It noted that the COVID-19 XEC variant had first been reported in Australia and spread to 29 countries, raising alarms over its heightened virulence.
In the statement on Saturday signed by its Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, the ministry said, ” the good news is that there is no evidence of COVID variant XEC in Nigeria.”
It said that assurance came following misinformation about a supposed resurgence of COVID-19 in the country, urging the public to disregard rumours fuelled by a letter which has been widely shared online.
It further urged Nigerians to remain calm while adhering to universal health precautions and relying on verified information from official sources.
“In light of the above, the general public is advised not to panic but to continue with the universal precautions of observing personal hygiene, including regular washing of hands,” the ministry of stated.
It hinted that the federal government has ramped up its preparedness across federal tertiary hospitals and border entry points to mitigate potential risks.
It said the measures include establishing molecular laboratories, isolation centres, and intensive care units equipped with ventilators.
“The federal government has proactively upgraded our federal tertiary hospitals to ensure uninterrupted healthcare delivery to all Nigerians in the event of a disease outbreak,” it said.
The ministry said it was intensifying surveillance at Nigeria’s borders and entry points to detect and address any potential cases of the variant, stressing that proactive measures are in place to safeguard public health.
“Citizens are encouraged to continue their daily activities without disruption while prioritising hygiene and preventive health practices,” it added.
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the COVID-19 XEC variant was first reported in May this year, noting that it has been detected in 43 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America.
It had advised the African Union (AU) member states to continue to enhance influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory syndrome surveillance to monitor SARS-CoV-2 cases and emerging variants.
It said the XEC is a subvariant of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain and was currently being monitored by the health authorities in other regions.
Also, the World Health Organization (WHO) had, as of September 24, designated XEC as a variant under monitoring.
A similar virus ravaged countries between 2019 and 2020, leading to the death of millions of people and a total shutdown of the economies of of the world. Many countries are yet to fully recover from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.