Nigeria confirms 40 Mpox Cases, suspects 830 more
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 40 cases of Mpox out of 830 suspected cases across the country. This was announced by the NCDC’s director-general, Dr. Jide Idris, during a joint briefing with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other stakeholders in Abuja on Friday.
Dr. Idris highlighted that the country has not recorded any deaths from the confirmed cases, a development he described as “remarkable.” He noted that since Mpox was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, “an Emergency Operations Centre and an Incident Management System have been established” to coordinate the national response.
According to Dr. Idris, the cases are spread across 12 to 13 states, with the majority reported in the South-South and South-East regions, as well as in Lagos, Ogun, and some northern states.
“Our plans are to target these states to reduce the number of cases and conduct active surveillance to detect more cases,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of coordinated efforts at both the state and local government levels.
Dr. Idris also pointed out the need to enhance laboratory testing capabilities, particularly in the South-South and South-East regions. Currently, genomic sequencing for confirmation of Mpox cases is being conducted at the National Research Lab in Abuja and another lab in Lagos. “Due to the spread, we need to increase the number of laboratories for testing, including Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the African Centre for Genomics,” he explained.
In addition to these efforts, the NCDC is intensifying public awareness campaigns to educate Nigerians about the symptoms of Mpox and preventive measures. Dr. Idris also acknowledged challenges in data collection, which the centre is actively addressing to improve the accuracy of the surveillance system.
The WHO Nigeria Country Office, represented by Dr. Walter Mulombo, commended the NCDC’s efforts and stressed the importance of remaining vigilant. “We must continue to monitor microbes in nature that may cause the disease,” Dr. Mulombo advised.
In a move to support Nigeria’s response to the outbreak, the United States Government has pledged to donate Mpox vaccine doses, which are expected to arrive in the country soon. The NCDC’s comprehensive response plan aims to curb the spread of the disease and mitigate its impact across the nation.
