Launched in 2011 by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) announced on Thursday that the country has recorded 39 confirmed cases of mpox across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2024, with no fatalities reported.
The Director General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, revealed this during a press conference in Abuja, where he also disclosed that 5,951 suspected cholera cases and 176 deaths have been reported across all 36 states and the FCT as of August 11, 2024.
Dr. Idris emphasized the seriousness of the situation in Nigeria, stating, “In Nigeria, cumulatively, a total of 39 confirmed cases and zero deaths have been recorded across 33 States + FCT, from the beginning of the year 2024.
Bayelsa (five), Cross River (five), Ogun (four), Lagos (four), Ondo (three), and Ebonyi (three) lead the pack.
The NCDC has ramped up its efforts to monitor and control the spread of mpox, with heightened surveillance at Nigeria’s five international airports, 10 seaports, and 51 land border crossings.
Port health officers have been placed on high alert, and diagnostic protocols have been distributed to these locations.
Additionally, certain states, including Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, and Taraba, have been put on high alert.
Contact tracing and monitoring are also being conducted for confirmed cases to prevent further spread.
Regarding cholera, Dr. Idris provided an update, noting that, as of August 11, 2024, there have been 5,951 suspected cholera cases and 176 deaths recorded across 36 states and the FCT.
The most affected demographic is children under five years old.
The NCDC plans to intensify prevention strategies and improve case management to combat the ongoing cholera outbreak effectively.