Nigeria records three cases of omicron COVID-19 variant.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has confirmed three cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

A statement by the NCDC director-general, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, says the omicron variant was identified in three travellers from South Africa last week through genomic sequencing of positive samples.

The statement says the NCDC would continue to expand its sequencing capacity in-country through a network of public health laboratories and other partners.

It urges states to ensure strict compliance with preventive measures, while ramping up sample collection and testing, especially with approved antigen-based Rapid Diagnostic Test, RDT.

The statement also urges Nigerians to get vaccinated and adhere to the proven safety measures such as wearing face masks, regular hand washing, sanitising with alcohol based sanitisers, and physical distancing.

It says the presidential steering committee on covid-19 has revised the national travel advisory, which included a negative COVID-19 test result done not more than 48 hours before departure by all inbound travellers to Nigeria.