The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) on Sunday sought to allay fears about the newly detected COVID-19 XEC variant, which has been reported in circulation in Australia.
In a statement, the NCDC assured the public that the National COVID-19 Technical Working Group continues to monitor and analyze both international and local surveillance data to guide public health response activities.
“The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention considers it necessary to make this statement to allay the fears created in the public space about the Covid-19 variant reportedly in circulation in Australia.
The recent detection of the SARS-CoV-2 XEC sub-variant—a descendant of the Omicron lineage—has highlighted the ongoing evolution of the COVID-19 virus,” the statement read.
The NCDC explained that there are many variants of SARS-CoV-2 being monitored globally. It pointed out that the JN.1, classified as a Variant of Interest (VOI), has been reported in 132 countries, including the United States, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, China, New Zealand, Thailand, Canada, Singapore, and Nigeria. However, a VOI is not yet deemed to pose serious risk.
“The XEC is a subvariant of JN.1 and has been designated as the Variant Under Monitoring i.e. being watched for potential concerns and not considered to pose a significant risk, and not yet meet the criteria for designation as VOI,” it added.
The NCDC also noted that while the XEC variant has shown higher transmissibility compared to other variants, there is no evidence of increased severity.
The NCDC clarified that although the JN.1 sub-variants are dominant globally and are the fastest-growing among currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, the XEC variant has not yet been detected in Nigeria.
“There has been a reported rise in COVID-19 cases linked to the XEC variant, which has been detected so far in 43 countries across different continents, Europe, Asia, North America, and recently in Botswana, Africa.
Though the JN.1 has been reported in Nigeria since January 2024, the XEC variants, which are descendants of the Omicron lineage JN.1, are yet to be detected in Nigeria,” the NCDC said.
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The NCDC also assured the public that the National COVID-19 Technical Working Group is continuously conducting analyses to guide public health response activities.
“In line with our emergency preparedness and response strategy, we have continuously upgraded and updating our strategies and capabilities (surveillance, detection, stockpiling, training inclusive) for a quick and effective response. Along this line, a dynamic risk assessment / readiness assessment is being organised to guide us in developing a plan of action,” the agency added.
The NCDC urged health facilities, both public and private, to increase testing for COVID-19 in suspected cases and to submit all positive samples to NCDC laboratories for sequencing.
“Meanwhile, we urge all health facilities, both public and private, to increase the testing for COVID-19 on suspected patients. All positive samples are encouraged to be sent to the NCDC laboratory and other public health accredited laboratories for sequencing,” it stated.
The NCDC also emphasized that there is no need for unnecessary panic or anxiety, as COVID-19 remains a significant risk primarily for vulnerable populations.
“COVID-19 remains a significant risk, particularly for the elderly, individuals with underlying chronic illnesses, those undergoing cancer treatment, organ transplant recipients, and individuals with suppressed immune systems,” it said.
The NCDC encouraged the public to continue following basic public health safety measures, including maintaining good personal hygiene, covering mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, wearing masks, and practicing physical distancing.
It also urged healthcare workers to continue testing patients with respiratory or febrile symptoms and to follow infection prevention and control measures in hospitals.
In a related statement, the Federal Ministry of Health confirmed there was no evidence of the XEC variant in Nigeria.
“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,” the ministry said.
The ministry also clarified that reports circulating on social media, including a letter suggesting the detection of XEC in Nigeria, were false and urged Nigerians to rely on verified updates from official channels.
The ministry reassured the public that rigorous surveillance at 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 statement added. It also urged Nigerians to continue practicing good hygiene and preventive measures to curb the spread of infectious diseases.
In an interview with ARISE News on Monday, Dr. Alero Ann Roberts, Honorary Consultant at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), emphasized that COVID-19 has never truly disappeared. “Covid never went away, that is just the truth,” she remarked.
“The problem is that because we did not suffer it as violently as the more high-income countries did, people just assume that a, it’s a non issue, b, it has gone, nobody has it, and c, we have more serious problems to worry about but Covid never went away.”
The NCDC, along with the Federal Ministry of Health, reiterated their commitment to safeguarding public health while urging citizens to continue following preventive measures.
