The Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said Nigeria has strengthened its border surveillance in response to the growing threats of mpox, a viral disease caused by the Mpox virus, in many parts of Africa.
This was stated in a statement issued by Senior Adviser to the Minister for Media and External Relations Tashikalmah Hallah on Thursday.
He said the country has also stepped up surveillance and screening procedures at all entry points into the country to prevent internal infection and the spread of the disease.
According to the statement, Mr Pate said the gravity of the situation prompted the WHO to declare it a global health emergency, emphasising the urgency and need for coordinated international action to mitigate the spread.
The minister said Nigeria's Ports Health Services had begun taking steps to strengthen the country's defences ahead of the declaration of Mpox, a public health emergency by global health bodies.
“This Mpox Clade 1 strain has caused deaths in up to 10 percent of people who became ill in previous outbreaks,” he said.
He added that the aim is to address and mitigate its impact by implementing measures similar to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Mr. Pate explained that the government has implemented a new mandate requiring all travelers to complete an online health declaration form before departing for the country.
He said this measure is being introduced in conjunction with the activation of infectious disease centres in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister also urged the public to practice good hygiene, frequently washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after contact with an infected person or animal.
Mpox outbreak
Mpox killed at least 450 people when it broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but has now spread to parts of central and eastern Africa including Burundi, the Central African Republic, Kenya and Rwanda.
As of 4 August, 38,465 cases of mpox and 1,456 deaths have been recorded in Africa since January 2022. Of this number, more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone this year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Wednesday that the outbreak in parts of Africa is a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the possibility of further spread within Africa and beyond was worrying.
“A coordinated international response is essential to stop this outbreak and save lives,” he said.
There is a new variant of the disease, mpox Clade 1b, which is spreading rapidly and causing a high mortality rate.
There are two main types of mpox: clade 1 and clade 2. When a public health emergency due to mpox was declared in 2022, it was caused by the relatively mild clade 2.
However, this new outbreak is caused by the more lethal Mpox virus, Clade 1. There is also a new variant of Clade 1 that was discovered in September 2023. Experts said the mutations gave rise to a branch, called Clade 1b, which has since spread rapidly.
Scientists have called this new variant “the most dangerous yet.”
Sweden records first case
Meanwhile, Sweden has become the first non-African country to record a confirmed case of mpox clade I.
According to the country's public health agency, the case sought medical care in Stockholm but had recently visited Africa.
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Swedish authorities said: “In this case, a person became infected during a stay in an area of Africa where there is a major outbreak of mpox clade I.
“In Sweden, the person who has been confirmed to be infected has received care and rules of conduct.”
About Mpox
Mpox can be transmitted from animals to humans through direct contact with the blood and body fluids of infected animals, such as rodents or primates.
It is a highly contagious and deadly disease.
Person-to-person transmission is also possible through close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions, or recently contaminated objects, such as bedding.
Mpox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Although related, Mpox is generally less severe and less contagious than smallpox.
The disease causes fever, muscle aches, and large boil-like skin lesions.
However, Mpox outbreaks can also be prevented and controlled with vaccines. But in most cases, these are only available to people at risk or those who are in close contact with an infected person.