The detection of the new variants in Nigeria and South Africa prompted an emergency meeting of the Africa CDC this week, Nkengasong said. In the past week, Nigeria reported a 52 percent increase in cases and South Africa a 40 percent increase, Nkengasong said. The Nigeria CDC and the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases in Nigeria will study more samples, Nkengasong said. Africa has reported more than 2.5 million coronavirus cases, making up 3.3 percent of global cases, according to the Africa CDC. Nkengasong said the Africa CDC did not believe the mutation in South Africa will affect deployment of the COVID-19 vaccines on the continent.

Source: bd News24 December 24, 2020 14:37 UTC