Mpox cases rise to 102 in 25 states, FCT

The number of confirmed cases of Mpox in the country has increased to 102 across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory, up from the previous 94 cases.

The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at a press briefing.

Idris said in response to the increasing threat of Mpox, especially in light of regional cross-border transmission, the NCDC has reinforced its strategy to prevent the spread of the virus.

“We are primarily dealing with the Clade IIB variant, which has been circulating in Nigeria; however, we are also monitoring the situation in Cameroon where both Clade IB & IIB are reported, and heightening our surveillance for the Clade IB, a more severe strain currently circulating in Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and the DRC, which has the potential for rapid spread through community transmission.

“Nigeria has continued to manage the outbreak with vigilance. As of October 13th, a total of 102 confirmed cases have been recorded across 26 states and the FCT, from 1,339 suspected cases. Encouragingly, there have been no recorded deaths, but we remain cautious.

“The observed steady rise in the number of reported cases in recent weeks can be attributed to enhanced surveillance and improved case detection across the country,” he said.

He stated that the agency’s response strategy rests on stakeholder engagement, surveillance and diagnostic capacity, community engagement, and vaccination campaigns.

Adding, he said, “In partnership with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, we are facilitating the deployment of 10,000 doses of the Mpox Jynneos vaccine, prioritising high-risk groups such as contacts of confirmed cases and immunocompromised individuals.

“Priority states for this vaccination campaign include Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom, based on the burden of Mpox cases reported since 2017.

“Anyone with rash illness is advised to visit the nearest health facility for care. The general public is advised to avoid direct contact with sick or dead animals and avoid consumption of undercooked meat.”

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral disease caused by the mpox virus, is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, though human-to-human transmission can also occur.