The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 39 confirmed cases of mpox across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with no recorded deaths.
At a recent press briefing, NCDC Director General Jide Idris emphasized the agency’s commitment to increasing surveillance nationwide to quickly identify and address any new cases. He highlighted that all port health services across Nigeria’s international airports, seaports, and border crossings are on high alert. Additionally, states such as Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, Taraba, and Abuja are being closely monitored.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a global public health emergency due to rising cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its spread to neighboring countries. WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced that the situation demands immediate global attention and coordination to prevent further transmission, treat those infected, and save lives.
This decision follows the African Union’s health body declaring its own public health emergency in response to the outbreak. The DRC, where mpox was first identified in humans in 1970, has seen over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths this year, surpassing last year’s figures.
