The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has confirmed 48 cases of Mpox out of 868 suspected cases across 35 local government areas in 19 states, including the Federal Capital Territory.
This information was disclosed in the Mpox situation report for week 34, dated August 25, and posted on the NCDC’s website on Friday.
The report also indicated that there have been no reported deaths from the disease so far this year.
It said, “57 new suspected cases were reported in Epi week 34, 2024, compared with 25 cases reported in the previous week (Epi week 33).
“Eight confirmed cases were reported in week 34 compared with one (1) confirmed case reported in week 33, 2024.
“Twenty States and the FCT have recorded at least one confirmed case across thirty-five (35) Local Government Areas in 2024,” the report partly read.
The age breakdown of the confirmed Mpox cases shows that 17 cases were reported among children aged 0-10, seven cases among those aged 11-20, nine cases in the 21-30 age group, eight cases among individuals aged 31-40, and seven cases in the 41-50 age range.
These cases were recorded across various states, with Lagos reporting one case, Rivers two, Bayelsa six, Abia one, Delta two, Imo one, Edo one, and the FCT two. Additional cases were found in Anambra (two), Cross River (five), Plateau (two), Akwa Ibom (four), Nasarawa (one), Oyo (one), Kaduna (one), Ebonyi (one), Benue (three), Enugu (eight), Osun (two), Kebbi (one), and Zamfara (one).
Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans, occurring sporadically, primarily in remote areas of Central and West Africa near tropical rainforests. The disease is caused by the Mpox virus, which is part of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family.
This genus also includes the variola virus, which causes smallpox, the vaccinia virus used in the smallpox eradication vaccine, and the cowpox virus, historically used in earlier smallpox vaccines. Since the eradication of smallpox, the Mpox virus has become the most significant Orthopoxvirus.
On August 13, 2024, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared Mpox a public health emergency of continental security, invoking its authority to address major public health threats.
The NCDC highlighted that the National Mpox Multi-Sectoral and Multi-Partner Emergency Operations Centre continues to lead the response efforts within the country.
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