The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has announced that there are 55 confirmed cases of Monkeypox (Mpox) in Nigeria at the moment.
On Monday, September 9, the NCDC updated its official website with the news. They reported that these cases were confirmed out of 935 suspected cases across 39 local government areas in 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The NCDC noted that no deaths have occurred from Mpox so far this year. They also shared that 70 percent of the confirmed cases are males and 30 percent are females.
Breaking down the age groups, NCDC reported:
– 19 cases in ages 0-10
– 8 cases in ages 11-20
– 12 cases in ages 21-30
– 8 cases in ages 31-40
– 7 cases in ages 41-50
– 1 case in an individual aged 50 and above
The confirmed cases are spread across various states, including:
– Enugu (8 cases)
– Bayelsa (6 cases)
– Akwa Ibom (6 cases)
– Cross River (5 cases)
– Delta (3 cases)
– Benue (3 cases)
– Plateau (3 cases)
– Osun (2 cases)
– Imo (2 cases)
– FCT (2 cases)
– Anambra (2 cases)
– Rivers (2 cases)
– Abia (2 cases)
– Lagos, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Edo, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Oyo, Kaduna, and Niger (1 case each)
Since September 2017, the NCDC has reported 4,752 suspected cases from 36 states and the FCT, with 1,141 confirmed cases and 17 deaths. The majority of affected individuals are male, making up about 70 percent of the cases.
The National Mpox multi-sectoral and multi-partner Emergency Operation Centre continues to manage responses to the outbreak across the country.
Mpox, a viral illness similar to smallpox but usually less severe, causes symptoms like fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. It can spread from animals to humans and between humans through close contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox a global public health emergency in August, and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also declared it a public health emergency of continental security on August 13.
Mpox cases have been reported in at least 13 African countries, with Guinea recently confirming its first case. The virus has also been detected in Pakistan, the Philippines, Sweden, and Thailand.
