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NCDC Debunks News Of New COVID-19 Variants In Nigeria

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News making the rounds of the discovery of a new variant of the dreaded COVID-19 virus in Nigeria are false, and members of the public have been counselled not to panic.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) in a statement on Saturday informed the public that it remained alert and is monitoring the new EG.5 and BA.2.86 sub-variants of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, both of which yet to be identified in Nigeria.

Director General, NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, in the statement noted that on August 9, 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated EG.5, a descendant lineage of XBB.1.9.2, and its sub-lineages as a variant of interest.

According to Dr Adetifa, the EG.5 is a sublineage of the omicron variant and has been detected in 51 countries, including China, the United States of America (USA), the Republic of Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom (UK), France, Portugal, and Spain.

The risk assessment conducted by the WHO shows that the EG.5 variant poses a low risk at the global level.

Part of the statement read, “In addition, EG.5 has not been associated with any change in symptoms or a clinical manifestation and has not produced an increase in severity of illness and, or hospitalisations or difference in death rates in reporting countries.

“EG.5 causes symptoms like those seen with other COVID-19 variants, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, and sore throat.

“So far, only one case of EG.5 has been seen in Africa, it has not been identified in Nigeria.”

Recall that the National Public Health Institute (NPHI) had said that the recently discovered BA.2.86 is a descendent lineage of BA.2 – a sublineage of Omicron, also found in Nigeria in 2022.

The WHO designated the COVID-19 variant BA.2.86 as a ‘variant under monitoring’ due to the large number of mutations it carries.

The BA.2.86 variant has been reported in a handful of countries – the UK, Israel, Denmark, South Africa, and the United States.

“Since there are few cases identified so far, there is not enough information to make conclusive assessments of virulence, transmission, and severity.

“However, we do not expect it to be much different from other omicron descendants currently circulating. Although the ancestor, BA.2 has been previously found in Nigeria, no BA.2.86 variant has been identified in Nigeria,” the agency added.

It said the NCDC’s COVID-19 Technical Working Group is closely monitoring COVID-19 epidemiology – local, regional, continental, and global – including emerging variants.

“Our influenza sentinel surveillance sites continue to provide information on COVID-19 prevalence in patients with influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness.

“We have not observed any increase in the trend of COVID-19 in this patient group.

“We continue to carry out genomics surveillance even with the low testing levels and encourage testing locations in states to ensure their positive samples are sent on to the NCDC for sequencing.

“Unrelated to the news of these emerging variants, the NCDC and partners are working on implementing an enhanced COVID-19 testing exercise in four states to obtain complementary and more detailed information about circulating variants in the country.

“In addition, COVID-19 rapid diagnostic kits are being distributed for the purpose of improving bi-directional COVID-19 testing,” it said.

The Agency maintained that there was no need to cause unnecessary anxiety and panic.

“As we have consistently advised, COVID-19 is here to stay, and is now mainly a problem for those at high risk – the elderly, those with underlying chronic illnesses, especially hypertension, diabetes, those on cancer treatment, organ transplant recipients, and those whose immune systems are suppressed for one reason or the other,” it noted.

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JUST IN: JOHESU Launches Nationwide Strike Over Unresolved Demands

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Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) have announced a seven-day warning strike set to begin at midnight on Friday.

This action follows a 15-day notice of industrial action issued to the Federal Government.

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Addressing journalists in Abuja, JOHESU’s national chairman, Kabiru Minjibir, outlined the union’s primary demands, emphasizing a need for immediate action to address ongoing concerns affecting healthcare workers across the nation.

Key demands include the urgent implementation of the consolidated health salary structure and the payment of a 25 percent review of arrears from June to December 2023.

The union is also calling for an upward review of the retirement age for healthcare workers, a tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, and the immediate disbursement of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances.

Minjibir urged all union members nationwide to adhere to the strike directive, underscoring that compliance would be essential in pushing for their demands.

 

 

 

 

Details shortly…………. 

 

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Medical Emergency: Journalist, Kola Kuforiji Requires Financial Support 

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In a world where health is wealth, Kola Kuforiji, a Nigerian journalist  who had worked for about two decades with Rhythm FM (Sliverbird Group) reporting business is facing an unthinkable challenge, and needs urgent help.

Kola, a 54-year-old husband and father of two, whose life was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with a drug-resistant, Parkinson’s disease with pronounced difficulty in walking and tremor has been very ill for more than two years and the severity and debilitating nature of his illness has depleted the  finances of his family.

He was initially treated at   Ikorodu General Hospital, Lagos, where a presumptive diagnosis of his medical condition was made.

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He was over a year ago referred to LASUTH, but there has been little improvement in his health.

Medical treatment abroad now offers the best option for his recovery with a recommendation from  Atasehir Medicana International Hospital – Atasehir / Istanbul, Turkey confirming that he will need a Deep Brain Stimulation surgery.

The expected total cost of the Deep Brain Stimulation surgery with traveling expenses is put at  $35,000 (USD) about N57 million at recent exchange rate.

Meanwhile friends of Kola have initiated moves to seek financial support from concerned citizens to help bridge the gap and ensure that he receives the care he needs to overcome this challenge.

A bank account to receive fund for the urgent medical intervention has been opened for donation that will bring hope and healing to Kola and his family.

Name of Account: SOS FOR JOURNALIST KOLA KUFORIJI

Account Number: 1790322317

Bank: Polaris Bank

Kola’s story is one of courage, resilience, and determination, but it’s also a story of urgent need.

He had worked for about two decades with Rhythm FM (Sliverbird Group) covering business at large and had  contributed immensely to deepening understanding of the economy.

Over the years  he has explored his media platform as a strong tool to drive financial inclusion and expanding frontier of knowledge of Nigerians on the activities and stride of the energy, banking and finance sectors at large to national development.

Despite his illness, Kola remains hopeful and determined to overcome.

Use this link to join SOS FOR JOURNALIST KOLA KUFORIJI WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.

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Banning Tobacco Sales Could Save 1.2m Lives By 2095 – WHO

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A new study from the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores the alarming connection between smoking and lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally.

The research reveals that smoking accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases and warns that nearly three million lung cancer deaths could occur among those born between 2006 and 2010 if current trends persist.

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The findings, published in The Lancet Public Health, indicate that implementing a ban on tobacco sales for this generation—approximately 650 million individuals—could prevent about 1.2 million deaths by 2095.

This study is among the first to evaluate the potential impact of creating a tobacco-free generation and draws on data from 185 countries.

The research highlights significant disparities in preventable lung cancer deaths based on gender.

It found that over 45% of lung cancer deaths among men could be avoided, while nearly 31% could be prevented among women.

IARC researcher and co-author Isabelle Soerjomataram noted that the disparity is largely due to targeted marketing by the tobacco industry over the past decades.

Interestingly, the study also suggests that in regions like North America and parts of Europe, ending tobacco sales could lead to more preventable deaths among women than men.

In Western Europe, 78% of potential deaths among women could be averted, compared to nearly 75% among men in Central and Eastern Europe.

While the study offers a glimmer of hope, it cautions that not all lung cancer deaths can be prevented through tobacco sales bans alone.

Other risk factors, such as air pollution and second-hand smoke exposure, also significantly contribute to lung cancer rates.

Several countries have already implemented tobacco-free generation initiatives, including New Zealand, which became the first nation to ban cigarette sales to individuals born after 2008.

However, the new conservative government in New Zealand has announced plans to repeal this measure.

Conversely, the UK’s new Labour government is supportive of a similar initiative that restricts cigarette sales to anyone born after January 2009.

Despite the promising implications of tobacco-free generation policies, the authors of the IARC study stress that these measures must be part of a broader strategy to combat the health crisis posed by tobacco.

They advocate for additional approaches, such as increasing cigarette taxes, creating more smoke-free environments, and providing enhanced support for individuals looking to quit smoking.

As lung cancer remains a leading health challenge, this study highlights the urgent need for comprehensive tobacco control policies to protect future generations and reduce the burden of this deadly disease.

 

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