The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that Bayelsa State is currently leading in confirmed cases of monkeypox across Nigeria since the beginning of 2024.
According to the NCDC, no deaths have been recorded in any of the 33 states or the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, August 15, NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, revealed the distribution of confirmed cases: Bayelsa has 16 cases, followed by Cross River with 5, Ogun with 4, Lagos with 4, Ondo with 3, and Ebonyi with 3.
Dr. Idris assured the public that the NCDC has intensified its coordination and communication with key stakeholders to control the spread of the virus and prevent further transmission.
He also emphasised that the agency has increased public awareness efforts and issued alerts to mitigate cross-border transmission of the disease.
He said: “As part of the government’s ongoing efforts, we are intensifying surveillance across Nigeria to swiftly detect and respond to any new cases. This is putting all port health services across all five international airports, 10 seaports, and 51 land/foot crossing borders on high alert.
"Diagnostic protocols are now distributed to these locations, and port health officers are on high alert and screening for suspected cases."
In September 2023, a new variant of monkeypox, considered deadlier and more transmissible than previous strains, began spreading rapidly across African countries, with the Democratic Republic of Congo being particularly affected.
This severe strain, known as the Clade Ib subclade, has impacted at least 16 out of the continent’s 55 countries.
In response to the surge in confirmed cases, the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) has declared monkeypox a health emergency across the continent.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also declared mpox as a public health emergency of international concern.
The chair of the emergency committee convened by WHO and an infectious disease expert, Prof Dimie Ogoina, said: "What we're seeing is the tip of the iceberg because of weaknesses in the surveillance system."
Mpox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals and the symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over fever and swollen lymph nodes.
