The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) announced on Thursday that the country has recorded a total of 39 confirmed cases of mpox and zero deaths across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory from the beginning of 2024.
In addition to the mpox cases, the NCDC also reported a total of 5,951 suspected cases of cholera and 176 deaths across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory as of August 11, 2024.
The Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this information at a press conference in Abuja. The announcement comes as the Africa Centre for Disease Control declared a public health emergency due to the growing mpox outbreak on the continent.
The mpox outbreak has affected several African countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a serious and growing outbreak has been reported. A new viral strain, which first emerged in September 2023, has been detected outside the DRC for the first time.
As of 2024, about 2,863 confirmed mpox cases and 517 deaths have been reported across 13 African countries.
The NCDC’s report highlights the need for continued vigilance and public health measures to prevent the spread of these diseases in Nigeria.
“In Nigeria, cumulatively, a total of 39 confirmed cases and zero deaths have been recorded across 33 States and the FCT, from the beginning of the year 2024. Bayelsa (16), Cross River (5), Ogun (4), Lagos (4), Ondo (3), and Ebonyi (3) leading the pack.
“Noting the significant concern of the ease of cross-border transmission, this press conference is part of the effort to intensify our coordination and communication with stakeholders to manage the spread of the virus and prevent disease importation,” Idris said.
Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic infectious disease (i.e., disease of animals transmitted from animals to humans) that is endemic in several African countries including the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa. The exact reservoir of the virus is still unknown, although rodents, squirrels,s and monkeys are suspected to play a part in transmission.
The mpox virus can spread both from animal to human and from human to human. Animal-to-human transmission may occur by direct contact with the blood, body fluids, skin, or mucosal lesions of infected animals (e.g., monkeys, squirrels, and rodents). This can happen through a bite, scratch, handling of, or eating inadequately cooked or other products of infected bushmeat. Human-to-human (person-to-person) transmission occurs when a person comes into contact with the virus from an infected human or materials contaminated with the virus, such as clothing or bedding.
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