The identification of a new strain of coronavirus could heighten concerns about the pandemic after similar
“This is a separate line from the UK and SouthAfrica, ”John Nkengasong, head of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters. He said the CDC of Nigeria and the African Center of Excellence for Infectious Disease Genomics will analyze more samples.
“Give us some time… It’s still very early to talk about anything definitely,” he emphasized.
According to Nkengasong, identifying the obviousThe new variant was based on two or three genetic sequences, but that and South Africa's warning last week was enough to trigger an emergency meeting of the African Center for Disease Control this week.
According to a working study publishedAssociated Press, this variant in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, was found in two patient samples collected on August 3 and October 9 in Osun state.
According to Nkengasong, a new variant of the virus inSouth Africa is now predominant as the number of confirmed cases in the country approaches 1 million. Although this variant is quickly transmitted and the viral load is higher, it is not yet clear if it leads to more serious illness, he said.
On the African continent at presentthere are over 2.5 million confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, or 3.3% of cases globally. According to the director of the African Center for Disease Control, the number of infections on the continent has grown by 10.9% over the past four weeks, including 52% in Nigeria and 40% in South Africa.
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