Monkeypox Spreads to 19 Nigerian States as Cases Rise to 40

The monkeypox outbreak has rapidly spread across Nigeria, now affecting 30 local government areas in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 40 confirmed cases reported.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), there are also 802 suspected cases across 33 states, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.

The spread of the virus has intensified concerns, especially as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDC) have declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international and continental concern.

 Read Also: U.S. Donates 10,000 Monkeypox Vaccine Doses to Nigeria Amid Ongoing Public Health Crisis

This alarming situation comes just days before the United States’ donation of 10,000 doses of monkeypox vaccines to Nigeria, a much-needed response to the growing crisis.

The NCDC’s latest data, as of August 19, indicates that the confirmed cases were reported in the 34th week of 2024.

While it is fortunate that no deaths have been recorded in Nigeria this year, the rapid spread of the virus across multiple states highlights the critical need for immediate action to prevent the outbreak from spiraling out of control.

 

The most affected states include Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Cross River, with cases also reported in states such as Lagos, Rivers, and the FCT.

On a broader scale, the African continent has recorded 2,863 confirmed cases and 517 deaths this year, with a new strain of the virus emerging from Eastern Congo.

The spread of this new strain to other countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda further emphasizes the need for a coordinated and swift response to contain the outbreak and protect public health.