The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 39 cases of monkeypox across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with no deaths reported.
WHODr. Jide Idris, the Director-General of the NCDC, shared this update during a press briefing on Thursday following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern.
Dr. Idris emphasized that the NCDC is intensifying its surveillance efforts nationwide to promptly identify and respond to any new cases. All port health services across Nigeria’s five international airports, ten seaports, and 51 land borders have been put on high alert. Additionally, states including Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Taraba, and the FCT have been identified as high-risk areas.
READ ALSO: Mpox Outbreak Claims 548 Lives in DRC, WHO Declares Global Public Health Emergency
The WHO’s decision to declare monkeypox a global public health emergency was driven by a surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the virus originated, and its spread to neighboring countries. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the organization would coordinate a global response to prevent further transmission, treat those infected, and save lives.
This declaration follows the African Union’s own public health emergency announcement in response to the growing outbreak on the continent. In the DRC alone, more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported so far this year, surpassing the total figures from the previous year.
