BY DAVID ADUGE-ANI, ABUJA
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, has said there is no evidence of COVID-19 variant XEC in Nigeria.
It therefore urged citizens to disregard information circulating on social media and other networks that there is COVID-19 variant XEC in the country.
Debunking the claims, the Ministry in a statement by Alaba Balogun, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, further urged Nigerians to stay calm, saying there is no need for panic, adding that the XEC variant has not been detected in Nigeria.
The ministry re-emphasized its commitment to safeguarding public health, stating: “The mandate of the Federal Ministry of Health is to develop and implement policies that strengthen the national health system for effective, efficient, accessible, and affordable delivery of healthcare services in partnership with stakeholders.
It said, “The letter with reference number DHS/INSPDIV/017/VOL.1/46, dated December 5, 2024, circulating on social media, is false.
“We urge the public to disregard its content and go about their normal activities without fear.”
New National Star reports that the Internet and social media have been enmeshed with reports of presence of COVID-19 variant XEC in Nigeria.