By Damilare Adeleye
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has confirmed that there was no evidence of the newly detected COVID-19 variant XEC in Nigeria.
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The ministry, in a statement signed by its deputy director, Information and Public Relations, Mr. Alaba Balogun, on Saturday, urged Nigerians to remain calm and continue adhering to standard hygiene practices.
The COVID-19 variant XEC, noted for its increased virulence compared to other strains, and recently reported in Australia, has spread to 29 countries.
This has raised fears about its potential impact on healthcare systems worldwide.
However, the ministry emphasised that rigorous surveillance at the country’s entry points and health facilities has shown no signs of the variant within the country.
To mitigate risks, the federal government has upgraded its Federal Tertiary Hospitals by establishing molecular laboratories, isolation centers, and intensive care units equipped with ventilators.
The ministry has also clarified that reports circulating on social media, including a letter with Ref. No. DHS/INSPDIV/017/VOL.1/46 dated December 5, 2024, suggesting the detection of XEC in the country were false, urging Nigerians to ignore the misinformation and instead rely on verified updates from official channels.It encouraged Nigerians to maintain universal precautions, such as regular handwashing and good personal hygiene, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
The ministry reassured the public of its commitment to safeguarding the health of all citizens while ensuring the delivery of uninterrupted healthcare services.
The statement read, “The mandate of the Federal of Ministry of Health is to develop and implement policies that strengthen the national health system for effective, efficient, accessible and affordable delivery of healthcare services in partnership with other stakeholders.
“In furtherance of the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Health on the coordination, monitoring and evaluation of emerging infectious diseases and response activities in Federal Tertiary Hospitals across the country and other agencies in the health sector, it has become imperative to ensure uninterrupted health care services delivery to all Nigerians in the event of a disease outbreak.
“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,” the ministry disclosed.
“In light of the above the general public is advised not to panic but continue with the universal precautions of observing personal hygiene including regular washing of hands.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through her agencies has stepped up surveillance including at all entry points to Nigeria.”
Allaying fears the ministry’s statement stated that the Federal Government has proactively upgraded “our Federal Tertiary Hospitals by establishing Molecular Laboratories, Isolation centers, and intensive care units equipped with ventilators”.
“Since the COVID variant XEC has not been detected in Nigeria, it has therefore become imperative to address and correct the misinformation circulating on social media regarding a supposed resurgence of COVID-19 in the country.
“We urge the public to disregard the contents of a letter (Ref. No. DHS/INSPDIV/017/VOL.1/46, dated 5th December 2024) that has been widely shared online. Citizens are advised to remain calm, rely on verified information from official sources, and continue their daily activities as usual.”