Nigeria has recorded 48 confirmed cases of Mpox and 868 suspected cases across 19 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and 35 local government areas of the federation.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), no Mpox-related deaths have been recorded anywhere in Nigeria so far.
The NCDC revealed this on Friday in the Mpox situation report for week 34 from August 19 to 25.
The report revealed that there was a significant increase in suspected Mpox cases in Epi week 34 of 2024, compared to the previous week (Epi week 33).
“There were 57 new suspected cases reported in Epi week 34 of 2024, compared to 25 cases reported in the previous week (Epi week 33),” it said.
In the reporting week, the NCDC reported eight cases, up from one in the previous week, stating that by 2024, 20 states and the FCT have recorded at least one confirmed case.
“Twenty states and the FCT have recorded at least one confirmed case in thirty-five (35) local government areas in 2024,” he said.
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The breakdown of the report reveals that 17 cases were recorded among children aged 0-10 years, seven cases among adolescents aged 11-20 years, nine cases among young adults aged 21-30 years, eight cases among adults aged 31-40 years, and seven cases among middle-aged people aged 41-50 years.
Confirmed cases of Mpox were reported in the FCT and 20 states: Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, Delta, Imo, Edo, Anambra, Cross River, Plateau, Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Oyo, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu, Osun, Kebbi and Zamfara.
About Mpox
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease related to the eradicated smallpox virus. It has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades since it was first detected in humans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.
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For years, Mpox was predominantly detected in Central and West Africa. Clade I cases were concentrated in Central Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while clade II cases were detected mainly in Nigeria.
It is a contagious and fatal disease that is transmitted from animals to humans through direct contact with the blood and body fluids of infected animals, such as monkeys.
Person-to-person transmission is also possible through close contact, such as touching, kissing, or sexual intercourse, as well as through contaminated materials, such as bed sheets, clothing, and needles.