NCDC confirms four new monkeypox cases in four states

June 15, 2022 11:43 pm

Test tubes labelled "Monkeypox virus positive" are seen in this illustration taken May 22, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says four new cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in four states.

This brings the total number of cases recorded in 2022 to 36.

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection that does not spread easily between people. It is usually a mild self-limiting illness and most people recover within a few weeks. However, severe illness can occur in some individuals.

The agency, in its recent monkeypox update, said 31 new suspected cases of monkeypox were reported from June 6 to June 12 from 13 states, of which four were confirmed positive from four states — Lagos (1), Delta (1), Oyo (1) and Nasarawa (1).

“From January 1st to 12th June 2022, there have been 141 suspected cases in total and 36 confirmed cases from fifteen (15) states – Lagos (7), Adamawa (5), Delta (3), River (3), Cross River (2), FCT (2), Kano (2), Bayelsa (2), Edo (2), Imo (2), Plateau (2), Nasarawa (1), Niger (1), Oyo (1) and Ondo (1),” the report reads.

“One death was recorded in a 40-year-old man with co-morbidity that was receiving immunosuppressive drugs.

“Since September 2017, Nigeria has continued to report sporadic cases of monkeypox (MPX).

“On May 26th 2022, a monkeypox National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) was activated in response to the risk assessment conducted, which put Nigeria at high risk for a Monkeypox outbreak.

“The essence of the activation was to improve the coordination of related preparedness/response activities across the country.

“Overall and from September 2017 to 12th June 2022, a total of 653 suspected cases have been reported from 33 states in the country.

“Of the reported cases, 262 (40.1%) have been confirmed in 23 states – Rivers (55), Bayelsa (45), Lagos (37), Delta (32), Cross River (16), Edo (12), Imo (10), Akwa Ibom (7), Oyo (7), FCT (8), Plateau (5), Adamawa (5), Enugu (4), Abia (3), Nasarawa (3), Benue (2), Anambra (2), Ekiti (2), Kano (2), Niger (2), Ebonyi (1), Ogun (1) and Ondo (1).

“In addition, from September 2017 to June 12th, 2022, a total of nine (9) deaths have been recorded (CFR= 3.4%) in six states – Lagos (3), Edo (2), Imo (1), Cross River (1), FCT (1) and Rivers (1).”