The COVID-19 strain currently ravaging India, has reportedly been found in Nigeria.

The African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases in the Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, said it detected the strain in Osun and Edo States almost three weeks ago and has been communicated to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The Federal Government had on Monday, restricted gatherings at worship centres and banned nightclubs and bars, following reports that the devastating COVID-19 strain in South Africa had spread to 23 other countries.

It was stated that the detection of the Indian strain in Nigeria contributed to the fresh regulations issued by the federal government.

The detection has been listed on GISAID, a global science initiative that provided open access to genomic data of influenza viruses.

A notification dated April 25, 2021, sent by Professor Christian Hapi of the ACEGID to the NCDC said:

“We have found five sequences of the India B.1.617 in the country, specifically in Edo and Osun states”.

But it has been stated that the strain has not shown the same kind of viciousness displayed in India, where 400,000 persons are infected daily and 157 died per hour.

Hapi, however, clarified that strain in India has two more mutations than the one identified in Nigeria which makes the one in India more aggressive.

“What we have is the B1.617 from India. That is the variant they had but that variant has now evolved beyond the mutation that we identified.

“The one India evolved by two mutations. It is the same strain with India but their own now has a couple of mutations. So, it is the same as what we detected but also different in characteristics,” he added