The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the country has recorded at least 67 confirmed cases of Mpox out of 1,031 suspected cases across 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
States with confirmed cases include Bayelsa (6), Cross River (5), Benue (4), Plateau (4), Delta (4), FCT (3), Imo (3), Lagos (3), Rivers (2), Abia (2), and Osun (2).
The rest are Anambra (2), Ogun (2), Kaduna (1), Gombe (1), Edo (1), Niger (1), Ebonyi (1), Nasarawa (1), Kebbi (1), and Oyo (1).
Idris explained that the agency was enhancing surveillance in all the states to ensure accurate detection, noting that not all laboratories have the same capabilities to test for mpox.
“We are working with the port health authority to prevent the importation of clade I of mpox into the country. The port health authority is also working with border states to ensure prevention of the clade entering the country.
“So, we are optimising our laboratories to detect so that we don’t have to carry samples across states. We are also involved in awareness creation.”
The DG said the agency is enhancing its surveillance efforts in various 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 clade I of mpox into the country; the port health authority is also working with border states to ensure prevention of the clade in the country.
“We have laboratories across the country, but not all of them have the same capabilities to test Mpox. So, we are optimizing our laboratories to detect so that we don’t have to carry samples across states. We are also involved in awareness creation.”
Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and between humans.
It is endemic in parts of Africa, especially in the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa.
Transmission from animals can occur through direct contact with infected animals or their body fluids.
Human-to-human transmission is primarily through direct contact with an infected person or contaminated materials.
Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, weakness, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash that usually starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body.
The rash can also affect the palms, soles, and genital areas, making sexual contact a possible route of transmission.
