Professor Tomori has called on the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 to hold an emergency meeting to evaluate the available evidence on the variant.
Tomori’s comment comes after the discovery of a new strain of COVID-19 (B.1.1.529 COVID-19 variant) in the region. It was first discovered in South Africa.
He further advised that “Nigeria should temporarily restrict travels from Southern Africa, pending more information.
“In particular, activities at our points of entry should be carried out with efficiency and transparency.”
He added that “This is to ensure that samples from positive cases are sequenced rapidly in a nationally coordinated effort so as to rapidly detect any importation of the new variant.”
Tomori, however, warned against overreaction before the variant was thoroughly studied but to prepare for the possible arrival of the variant.
According to him, “First, research is going on regarding the new variant, so all we have is speculation. However, we should not be worried, but be wary and prepare for the possible arrival of the variant.”
Gatekeepers News earlier reported that the World Health Organisation labelled it ‘Omicron’ on Friday, and also designated it the strain a ‘variant of concern’.
Experts stated that the new variant already has a high number of mutations with preliminary evidence suggesting it may have an increased risk of spreading faster compared to other variants.
The WHO said the cases of the Omicron variant appear to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa.
The World Health body said, “Current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics continue to detect this variant. Several labs have indicated that for one widely used PCR test, one of the three target genes is not detected (called S gene dropout or S gene target failure) and this test can therefore be used as a marker for this variant, pending sequencing confirmation. Using this approach, this variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.
“There are a number of studies underway and the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution will continue to evaluate this variant. WHO will communicate new findings with the Member States and to the public as needed.
“Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a VOC, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron.”
Omicron has been detected in travelers from the South African region to Belgium, Hong Kong, and Israel.
Some countries including Britain, Belgium, and Saudi Arabia have imposed travel bans on travellers from Southern African countries to prevent the importation of the new strain.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, discouraged any travel bans on countries that reported the new variant, adding that experience shows that such travel bans have ‘not yielded a meaningful outcome’.
According to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) 3,554,507 of total eligible persons targeted for COVID-19 vaccination are fully jabbed, representing 3.2 per cent of the overall population of eligible persons as of on Saturday.