The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed that there are 220 cases of Monkeypox from 530 suspected victims, with four deaths recorded from 29 states in Nigeria as of August 14, 2022.
This was made known on Tuesday by the Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo made at the Ministerial Press briefing on COVID-19 Response and Development in the Health Sector in Abuja.
He explained that the Center is looking into obtaining treatments as a key priority to offer people who are at the highest risk of severe disease, hospitalization and deaths as monkeypox vaccine may not be available until 2023.
Dr. Adetifa said a lot more doses will become available but because of challenges with manufacturing factories and unexpected uptick in monkeypox cases.
“There are 220 confirmed cases from 530 suspected cases of Monkeypox and four deaths from 29 states in the country as of August 14, 2022.
“Since the first of January 2022, 96 countries in the world have reported more than a total of 40,000 confirmed monkeypox cases including 12 deaths.
“We are also looking into obtaining treatments as a key priority so that we have an option to offer people who are at the highest risk of severe disease, hospitalization and deaths.
“As we know the situation with monkeypox vaccine access is very topical, but there are not enough doses of vaccines. But given our own local epidemiology, we believe that looking for therapeutic options is the way to go” he stated.
