The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported a total of 39 confirmed cases of mpox across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with no deaths recorded. This update was provided by the Director General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, during a press briefing following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern.
The NCDC has heightened surveillance across Nigeria to promptly detect and respond to new cases.
Idris mentioned that all port health services at Nigeria’s five international airports, ten seaports, and 51 land/foot crossing borders are on high alert. Specific states, including Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have been placed on high alert due to the potential risk.
This heightened alert follows the WHO’s declaration on Wednesday, where the surge in mpox cases in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was recognized as a global public health emergency. The WHO’s decision was based on the rising number of cases and the spread of the virus to neighboring countries.
The WHO has committed to coordinating a global response, working closely with affected countries to prevent transmission, treat those infected, and save lives. The virus, formerly known as monkeypox, was first discovered in humans in the DRC in 1970, and this year has seen over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths reported in the country alone, surpassing last year’s figures.
