The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that Nigeria recorded 39 confirmed cases of mpox and zero deaths across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) since the beginning of 2024.
This information was disclosed by the NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, during a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday.
Dr. Idris revealed that Nigeria is also battling a cholera outbreak, with a total of 5,951 suspected cases and 176 deaths recorded across all 36 states and the FCT as of August 11, 2024. “As of August 11, 2024, a total of 5,951 suspected cases and 176 deaths have been recorded across 36 states and the FCT and 152 LGAs with a case fatality rate of 3.0 per cent,” Idris stated.
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On Tuesday, the Africa Centre for Disease Control declared a public health emergency due to the increasing mpox outbreak across the continent, with particular concern for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where a new viral strain first detected in September 2023 has begun spreading beyond the country. In 2024 alone, 2,863 confirmed mpox cases and 517 deaths were reported across 13 African countries.
“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 (five), Cross River (five), Ogun (four), Lagos (four), Ondo (three), and Ebonyi (three) lead the pack,” Idris said.
Mpox, a viral zoonotic disease primarily found in Central and West Africa, spreads from animals to humans and can also transmit from human to human. The exact animal reservoir remains unidentified, but rodents, squirrels, and monkeys are believed to be involved in transmission. Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that often begins on the face and spreads to the rest of the body, particularly the palms and soles.
The NCDC has stepped up its surveillance efforts in response to the outbreak. “As part of the government’s ongoing efforts, we have intensified surveillance across Nigeria to swiftly detect and respond to any new cases. This puts all port health services across all five international airports, 10 seaports, and 51 land/foot crossing borders on high alert. Diagnostic protocols according to the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response are now distributed to these locations and port health officers are on high alert and screening for suspected cases,” Idris explained.
High-risk states such as Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, and Taraba have been placed on high alert, with contact tracing and monitoring efforts in place. The NCDC is also considering vaccination efforts for high-risk groups, anticipating the arrival of 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine.
Regarding the cholera outbreak, Dr. Idris emphasized the need for enhanced prevention strategies and case management. “Contributing factors to the outbreak include high rates of open defecation, which lead to contamination of water sources through the runoff of fecal matter. In response, we will enhance both prevention strategies and case management measures to effectively address and mitigate the outbreak,” he added.
The NCDC projects that the cholera outbreak may continue to fluctuate until Epidemic Week 37, consistent with the patterns observed in previous years, with rainfall potentially increasing the number of cases.
