The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said cases of Mpox in the country now stand at 67.
The cases, according to the disease centre, were confirmed out of 1,031 suspected cases reported across 23 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
This was disclosed during a media briefing on Wednesday by the NCDC Director General, Jide Idris.
Statistics
According to Mr Idris, both Akwa-Ibom and Enugu states are leading in the Mpox chart with eight cases each while Bayelsa recorded six cases; Cross River (five cases) and Benue, Plateau and Delta reported four cases each.
Other states, according to Mr Idris, are Imo, Lagos and the FCT with three cases each, while Rivers, Abia, Osun, Anambra, and Ogun reported two cases each.
Response activities
The DG said the agency is enhancing its surveillance efforts in various states to improve the accuracy of Mpox detection and ensure timely reporting of cases.
He said: “We are working with ports health authority to prevent the importation of Clade I of Mpox into the country, the port health authority is also working with border states to ensure prevention of the clade in the country.
“We have laboratories across the country but not all of them have the same capabilities to test Mpox. So, we are optimising our laboratories to detect so that we don’t have to carry samples across states. We are also involved in awareness creation.”
READ ALSO: NCDC confirms 55 Mpox cases
About Mpox
Mpox is a rare and infectious disease that can spread from animals to humans and between people. It’s commonly found in certain parts of Africa, particularly in the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa.
The disease can also spread from person to person through close contact with someone who’s infected or by touching contaminated things.
Symptoms of Mpox include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, swollen lymph nodes, and a unique rash that typically starts on the face and spreads to other areas. The rash can also appear on the hands, feet, and genital areas, making it possible to spread the disease through sexual contact.
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