NCDC Addresses public concerns over COVID-19 XEC variant
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reassured the public regarding the recently reported COVID-19 XEC variant, detected in Australia.
In a statement released Sunday, the NCDC emphasized its commitment to monitoring and responding to global and local COVID-19 developments.
The XEC subvariant, a descendant of the Omicron JN.1 lineage, is categorized as a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM) and is not currently deemed a significant risk. While the parent JN.1 variant has been identified in Nigeria since January 2024, the XEC subvariant has yet to be detected in the country.
NCDC noted the global spread of JN.1, reported in 132 countries, and the XEC subvariant, now found in 43 nations, including parts of Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa. Though XEC demonstrates higher transmissibility, there is no evidence of increased severity.
To strengthen preparedness, the NCDC has continuously upgraded its response strategies, including surveillance, detection, stockpiling, and training. Health facilities nationwide are urged to increase COVID-19 testing and submit positive samples to accredited laboratories for sequencing.
The agency also called for calm, stressing the importance of adhering to basic safety measures, including personal hygiene, mask-wearing, physical distancing, vaccination, and seeking prompt medical attention.
Healthcare workers are advised to enhance testing and infection prevention practices, while state governments and policymakers are encouraged to promote public health education to raise awareness and curb disease spread.
“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 added.
