By Sola Ogundipe
The Federal Government is investigating claims by Nigerian scientists that the mutated variant of the coronavirus recently discovered in the United Kingdom has been existing in Nigeria for several months.
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, who disclosed this, said the PTF is in touch with scientists at the Redeemer’s University, Nigeria, in Ede, Osun State, who conducted studies that discovered UK’s “lineage B.1.1.7” mutant variant of the coronavirus.
Aliyu said Professor Christian Happi, a professor of Molecular Biology & Genomics, and another scientist, Ify Aniebo, both of the African Centre of Excellence for the Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Nigeria, reported the collection of samples from Osun State in August and October, both of which showed the presence of the new variant.
“We have reached out to Professor Happi to seek additional clarifications with regards to…
Source: Vanguard Newspaper
