NCDC confirms first case of Delta COVID-19 variant in Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed a case with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, also known as lineage B.1.617.2.

The NCDC made this announcement in a statement issued on Thursday confirmed that the variant was detected in a traveller to Nigeria, following the routine travel test required of all international travellers and genomic sequencing at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory, Abuja.

The statement reads: “The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has detected a confirmed case with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, also known as lineage B.1.617.2. The variant was detected in a traveler to Nigeria, following the routine travel test required of all international travelers and genomic sequencing at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory, Abuja.

“The Delta variant is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a variant of concern, given its increased transmissibility. The variant has been detected in over 90 countries and is expected to spread to more countries.

“The variant has also been linked to a surge in cases in countries where it is the dominant strain in circulation. There are ongoing studies to understand the impact of the variant on existing vaccines and therapeutics.”

The deadly Delta variant is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a variant of concern, given its increased transmissibility.