NCDC reports two new monkeypox deaths as confirmed cases rise to 84

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says it has recorded two more monkeypox deaths.

This brings the total number of monkeypox deaths in 2022 to three.

The agency, in its latest monkeypox situation report, said from June 27 to July 3, there were 21 new positive cases from 11 states – Nasarawa (4), Adamawa (3), Borno (2), Delta (2), Edo (2), Kwara (2), Lagos (2), FCT (1), Ondo (1), Plateau (1), and Rivers (1).

“From 1st January to 3rd July 2022, there have now been 245 suspected cases and 84 confirmed cases (57 male, 27 female) from twenty-one (21) states – Lagos (13), Adamawa (9), Delta (7), Nasarawa (7), Edo (6), Rivers (6), Bayelsa (5), Plateau (5), FCT (5), Cross River (3), Kwara (3), Borno (2), Imo (2), Kano (2), Ondo (2), Taraba (2), Anambra (1), Katsina (1), Niger (1), Oyo (1) and Ogun (1),” the report reads.

“Three deaths were recorded.

“Overall and since the re-emergence of monkeypox from September 2017 to 3rd July 2022, a total of 757 suspected cases have been reported from 34 states in the country.

“Of these 757 suspected cases, there have been 310 (40.9%) confirmed from 27 states – Rivers (58), Bayelsa (48), Lagos (43), Delta (36), Cross River (17), Edo (16), FCT (11), Imo (10), Adamawa (9), Nasarawa (9), Plateau (8), Akwa Ibom (7), Oyo (7), Enugu (4), Abia (3), Anambra (3), Kwara (3), Benue (2), Borno (2), Ekiti (2), Kano (2), Niger (2), Ogun (2), Taraba (2), Ondo (2), Ebonyi (1), and Katsina (1).”

The NCDC said the current case figure has now about matched the peak number of cases seen in 2017 when monkeypox re-emerged, and is “currently on course to surpass this”.

“However, we believe ongoing efforts to strengthen surveillance, increased awareness from global news headlines and our investments in RCCE have also contributed in part or whole to this observed increase in cases,” the agency added.

“We will continue to monitor the situation even as we sustain ongoing response efforts.”