The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 55 cases of Monkeypox (Mpox) out of 935 suspected cases reported across the country.
The NCDC, through its official website, stated that these confirmed cases span 39 local government areas across 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Notably, no fatalities have been reported from Mpox this year.
The data indicates that 70% of the confirmed cases are male, while 30% are female.
It pointed out that “the age distribution of confirmed Mpox cases revealed that 19 cases were recorded in ages 0-10, eight cases in ages 11-20 and 12 cases in ages 21-30.
“Additionally, eight cases were recorded in ages 31-40, seven cases in ages 41-50, and one case in an individual aged 50 and above.”
The NCDC gave the breakdown of the confirmed cases to include eight from Enugu, six from Bayelsa, six from Akwa-Ibom, five from Cross River, three from Delta, three from Benue and three from Plateau.
Others are: Osun (two), Imo (two), FCT (two), Anambra (two), Rivers (two), Abia (two), while Lagos, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Edo, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Oyo, Kaduna, and Niger had one case each.
The NCDC explained that “since September 2017, 4,752 suspected cases have been reported from 36 states and the FCT, with 1,141 confirmed cases (24.0 per cent) from 35 States and the FCT with 17 deaths. Males (~70 per cent) are predominantly affected.”
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The Nigerian public health agency reported that the National Mpox Multi-Sectoral and Multi-Partner Emergency Operation Centre continues to lead the coordinated response efforts across the country.
Mpox, a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, is similar to smallpox but generally less severe. It is characterized by symptoms such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. The disease can spread from animals to humans, as well as between humans through close contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a global public health emergency in August, and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also designated it a public health emergency of continental security on August 13.
While the Democratic Republic of Congo remains at the epicenter of the outbreak, Mpox has been reported in at least 13 African countries, with Guinea recently confirming its first case. Additionally, the virus has been detected in Pakistan, the Philippines, Sweden, and Thailand.