The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced two additional fatalities from the coronavirus pandemic on Friday with 197 fresh cases reported across five states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The NCDC made the disclosure in its daily COVID-19 report on Saturday morning.

The 197 additional cases reported on Friday indicate an increase from the 47 cases reported in the country on Friday, December 3.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had said that the omicron variant, now detected in 38 countries, appears to be more contagious than the COVID-19 delta variant.

The organisation had said there was a suggestion of increased transmissibility, adding that “what we need to understand is if it’s more or less transmissible compared to Delta.”

“Omicron has some 30 mutations on the spike protein, which is the mechanism used to bind to human cells.

“Some of these mutations are associated with higher transmission and the ability to escape immune protection,” WHO had said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Public Health Institute said the country’s fatality toll from the disease now stood at 2,980.

The NCDC added that till date, 214,513 cases had been confirmed with 207,403 cases discharged and 2,980 deaths recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The 197 states – Lagos (138), Rivers (23), FCT (18), Imo (15), Bauchi (1), and Gombe (1),” It stated

The Nigerian Public Health Institute said that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 2, continues to coordinate the national response activities.

The agency added that a total of 3,580,510 blood samples have been tested since the pandemic began across the country.