…Newly detected XEC COVID-19 spreads to 29 countries

…CMDs, MDs of tertiary hospitals directed on preventive measures

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has alerted hospitals across Nigeria to the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, identified as XEC, which has been detected in Australia and has spread to 29 countries globally.

The variant is reported to have a growth advantage over other circulating strains, raising concerns about its potential impact on public health.

In a directive addressed to the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors, the ministry called for heightened vigilance in diagnosing patients presenting with COVID-like symptoms.

The directive, signed by Dr O.N. Anuma, Head of the Teaching Hospitals Division, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, urged hospitals to activate their alert systems immediately to ensure a high level of suspicion for the new strain.

The ministry also emphasised the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to share critical data on the variant and implement enhanced health protocols.

According to the statement, timely exchange of information with relevant parties, including the ministry, is essential for developing effective response strategies to mitigate the potential risks posed by the XEC variant.

The statement reads, “I am directed to inform you of a newly detected XEC COVID-19 variant, which has been reported in Australia and has already spread to 29 countries globally. (Letter attached) You may wish to know that this variant has shown a growth advantage over other circulating strains, raising concerns about its potential impact on public health.

“Alert systems should be immediately activated throughout our hospitals for a high index of suspicion in patients with COVID-like symptoms.

“We request your Committee to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to share critical data regarding this strain and implement enhanced protocols. Timely information sharing among relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health, will be vital for effective response strategies.

“Please accept, as always, the assurances of the Permanent Secretary’s warm regards.”

Recalled that the coronavirus disease first outbreak was recorded in  2019 (COVID-19). It was a pandemic – an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Cases of the coronavirus (nCoV) were first detected in China in December 2019, with the virus spreading rapidly to other countries across the world. This led WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30, 2020 and to characterize the outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

On  May 5, 2023, more than three years into the pandemic, the WHO Emergency Committee on COVID-19 recommended to the Director-General, who accepted the recommendation, that given the disease was by now well established and ongoing, it no longer fit the definition of a PHEIC. This does not mean the pandemic itself is over, but the global emergency it caused is – for now. A review committee will be established to develop long-term, standing recommendations for countries on how to manage COVID-19 on an ongoing basis.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, over 2 million people in the European Region died from the disease.

On October 25, 2023 WHO/Europe made several changes to its respiratory virus surveillance and data reporting systems. The COVID-19 Situation Dashboard played a pivotal role in providing essential information during the early stages of the pandemic. However, the landscape has now shifted, and so have data needs.

A new WHO/Europe COVID-19 Information Hub is replacing the previous COVID-19 Situation Dashboard to serve as a comprehensive resource, providing links to the most current health information, datasets and products concerning COVID-19.

Within the Hub, WHO/Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)’s weekly European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS) displays integrated surveillance data for influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the WHO European Region, including the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA).