The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) announced on Friday that the country has recorded 40 confirmed cases of monkeypox out of 830 suspected cases.
This was disclosed by NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, during a joint briefing with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other stakeholders in Abuja.
Dr. Idris highlighted that despite the number of confirmed cases, no deaths have been reported, which he described as remarkable.
He also shared that an Emergency Operations Centre and an Incident Management System were established following monkeypox being declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
“We have 40 confirmed cases out of 830 suspected cases. Fortunately, we have not recorded any deaths,” Dr Idris stated. “We have developed an incident action plan addressing various areas using different pillars.”
The NCDC has been working closely with state governments and Commissioners of Health to ensure that emergency preparedness and response teams are in place across the country.
Dr. Idris mentioned that these teams will be coordinating efforts with local government areas to enhance their capabilities and action plans.
He also emphasised the importance of surveillance, noting that the 40 confirmed cases are spread across 12 to 13 states, primarily in the South-South and South-East regions, as well as in Lagos, Ogun, and some northern areas.
The NCDC’s plans include targeting these regions to reduce the number of cases and conducting active surveillance to identify more.
To support these efforts, Dr. Idris highlighted the need to enhance laboratory services. Currently, genomic sequencing to confirm cases is conducted in two laboratories: the National Research Lab in Abuja and another in Lagos.
The NCDC plans to increase the number of testing facilities, including those at Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the African Centre for Genomics, to better manage the spread.
Public awareness campaigns are also being intensified to educate the public about mpox, its symptoms, and preventive measures. Dr Idris mentioned challenges in data collection as an area the centre is working to address.
Additionally, the WHO Nigeria Country Office revealed that Nigeria would soon receive doses of the mpox vaccine through a donation from the United States government.
WHO Country Representative, Dr. Walter Mulombo, stressed the importance of remaining vigilant and monitoring potential disease-causing microbes in nature.
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