The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said Mpox cases in the country now stand at 67.
The cases, according to the disease center, were confirmed out of 1,031 suspected cases reported in 23 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
This was revealed during a press conference on Wednesday by NCDC Director General Jide Idris.
Statistics
According to Mr. Idris, Akwa-Ibom and Enugu states lead the Mpox table with eight cases each, while Bayelsa recorded six cases; Cross River (five cases) and Benue, Plateau and Delta reported four cases each.
Other states, according to Idris, are Imo, Lagos and the FCT with three cases each, while Rivers, Abia, Osun, Anambra and Ogun reported two cases each.
Response activities
The Director General said the agency is enhancing its surveillance efforts in several states to improve the accuracy of Mpox detection and ensure timely reporting of cases.
He said: “We are working with the port health authority to prevent the importation of Mpox clade I into the country, the port health authority is also working with border states to ensure prevention of the clade in the country.
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“We have laboratories all over the country, but not all of them have the same capabilities to analyze Mpox. That is why we are optimizing our laboratories to detect it so that we do not have to transfer samples to other states. We are also involved in creating awareness.”
About Mpox
Mpox is a rare, infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and between people. It is commonly found in certain parts of Africa, particularly in the rainforests of central and western Africa.
The disease can also be transmitted from person to person through close contact with someone infected or by touching contaminated objects.
Symptoms of Mpox include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive skin rash that usually starts on the face and spreads to other areas. The rash can also appear on the hands, feet, and genital areas, making it possible to spread the disease through sexual contact.