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The World Health Organization (WHO) has on Friday urged countries to prepare for the likely spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. WHO spokesperson, Christian Lindmeier said this, noting that scientist are still studying the new variant, explaining that it will take another two weeks before more information about how transmissible and dangerous the variant is. “It is much more preferred to prepare your country, your health system to possibly incoming cases because we can be pretty sure that this Omicron variant will spread around,” he said.

The Lagos State Government through the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has shut down Vedic Lifecare Hospital located in Lekki for engaging the services of unlicensed expatriates. The Executive Secretary of the Lagos agency, Dr. Abiola Idowu, who made the announcement of the closure in her office in Alausa, Ikeja, revealed that the hospital located at Plot 6, Olabanji Olajide Street, Lekki, was sealed for engaging expatriate staff who have not been certified to practice locally. Dr. Idowu, who disclosed that the closure of the hospital does not affect the in-patients already admitted, also said the agency received information that some facilities are engaging foreign-based transient medical doctors (FBTMD) who come into the state, stay for a period of time to provide medical care to patients and perform medical procedures before returning to their respective countries.

The death toll from the COVID¬-19 indicated an increase with 33 deaths recorded from Saturday after infection and death rates in Nigeria slowed down last week. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced this on Sunday, saying that 33 people had died from the COVID-19 on Sunday with a difference of two deaths when compared to Saturday. This brings the total death toll to 2,837 deaths. According to NCDC, 125 new infections were recorded across 9 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), totaling the country's infection toll to 209,298 cases.

The Federal Government (FG) has disclosed that plans are in place to set up mass vaccination centres across the country. Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib made the disclosure on Thursday, during a press briefing in Abuja. Dr. Shuaib said “The objective of this strategy is to vaccinate a high volume of individuals through large sites such as federal institutions (universities, polytechnics), shopping malls, religious centers, sporting events, conference centers, and markets, etc.

The United Kingdom (UK) stated that it was working closely with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to validate Nigeria’s COVID-19 vaccine certificate as acceptable proof for travel to the UK. This was disclosed in a statement by United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms. Catriona Laing.

Nigeria has recorded fresh 336 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with five deaths. This raised the total number of cases in the country since the pandemic began to 201,630. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) the latest positive samples were recorded in 16 states and the federal capital territory (FCT), Lagos maintained the highest number of 86 cases, followed by Benue-48, then Rivers with 48 and Bauchi-41. Other states that reported new positive samples to include Edo (25), FCT (19), Akwa Ibom (13), Ondo (12), Anambra (11), Ekiti (8), Kwara (7), Plateau (7), Bayelsa (4), Kaduna (4), Delta (2), Ogun (2) and Kano (1).