By Asmau Ahmad
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that 62 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the country.
The NCDC disclosed this in its latest monkeypox situation report released on Tuesday.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms very similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.
The agency said from January to June 26, 2022, the disease was confirmed in 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The report also showed that there were at least 204 suspected cases of the disease in the country.
“There were 42 new suspected cases reported in Epi week 25, 2022 (June 20 to 26, 2022) from 18 states – Lagos (five), Bayelsa (four), Nasarawa (four), Plateau (four), Gombe (three), FCT (three), Adamawa (two), Cross River (two), Delta (two), Ondo(two), Oyo (two), Rivers (two), Taraba (two), Abia (one), Benue (one), Edo (one), Katsina (one) and Kwara (one).
“Out of 42 suspected cases, there were 21 new positive cases in Epi week 25, 2022 from 13 states – Cross River (2), Delta (2), FCT (2), Lagos (2), Nasarawa (2), Plateau (2), Rivers (2), Taraba (2), Abia (1), Adawama (1), Bayelsa (1), Edo (1) and Katsina (1).
“Overall, from January 1 to June 26, 2022, there have been 204 suspected cases and 62 confirmed cases (44 male, 18 female) from 19 states – Lagos (10), Adamawa (6), Bayelsa (5), Delta (5), Rivers (5), Cross River (4), Edo (4), FCT (4), Plateau (4), Nasarawa (3), Kano (2), Imo (2), Taraba (2), Abia (1), Katsina (1), Niger (1), Oyo (1), Ondo (1) and Ogun (1). One death was recorded – a 40-year-old man with co-morbidity that was receiving immunosuppressive treatment,” the report noted.
The NCDC says the exact reservoir of monkeypox is still unknown although African rodents are suspected to play a part in transmission.
