PTF confirms discovery of UK COVID-19 strain in Nigeria

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday confirmed the discovery of the United Kingdom COVID-19 strain in Nigeria.

The Chairman of PTF, Boss Mustapha, who disclosed this during the task force media briefing in Abuja, said four patients had been diagnosed with the COVID-19 strain.

According to him, three of the victims are returnees from abroad while the fourth case was discovered in the country.

The B117 strain of COVID-19 was first reported in the UK and South Africa late last year.

Mustapha said: “Over the last few weeks, the PTF has been closely following the rising number of COVID-19 infections reported daily in Nigeria and in other jurisdictions. Similarly, our scientists have been sequencing the variants of the virus.

READ ALSO: UK COVID-19 strain detected in 60 countries – WHO

“There have been reports of cases with the B117 variant strain, first reported in the UK, found in Nigeria. Three of these were in travellers out of Nigeria and one a resident.”

The PTF chairman urged Nigerians to comply fully with the COVID-19 protocols.

He also disclosed that the country had recorded 11, 179 cases from 58,974 tests conducted in the last seven days.

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