Monkeypox spreads to 19 Nigerian states

The Mpox outbreak continues to spread across Nigeria, affecting 30 local government areas in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 40 confirmed cases reported. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) also indicated that there are 802 suspected cases across 33 states.

This alarming development comes just days before the United States government’s donation of 10,000 doses of Mpox vaccines to Nigeria, a timely intervention as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDC) have declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International and Continental Concern (PHEIC/PHECC).

The NCDC’s latest data reveals that the confirmed cases were identified as of August 19, marking the beginning of the 34th week of the year 2024. Fortunately, no deaths have been recorded in Nigeria this year related to the disease.

The states most affected include Bayelsa with 5 cases; Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Cross River each reporting 4 cases; and Benue with 3 cases. Other states like the FCT, Delta, Anambra, Rivers, Plateau, Nasarawa, Lagos, Zamfara, Kebbi, Oyo, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, and Osun have also reported cases.

Overall, the African continent has seen 2,863 confirmed cases and 517 deaths this year due to the Mpox outbreak, with a new strain of the virus emerging from Eastern Congo and spreading to other countries including Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.