The continued spread of monkeypox, Lassa fever, COVID-19 and the possible importation of Marburg virus from Ghana has raised fresh concerns in Nigeria.

Latest epidemiological summary from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirms 17 new cases of monkeypox in 12 states and 13 fresh incidents of Lassa fever in Ondo, Edo, Plateau and Anambra.

The 12 monkeypox-infested states are: Ondo (three cases); Adamawa (two); Bayelsa (two); Delta (two); Anambra (one); Borno (one); Edo (one); Gombe (one); Katsina (one); Kogi (one); Plateau (one) and Lagos (one).

The centre said there were 56 new suspected cases in Epi week 27 (July 4 to 10) from 22 states, including Katsina (12); Gombe (seven); Adamawa (six); Bauchi (five); Bayelsa (three); Ondo (three); Delta (two); Edo (two); Lagos (two); Plateau (two); Abia (one) and Anambra (one).

Others are: Borno with one case; Enugu (one); Kaduna (one); Kebbi (one); Kogi (one); Kwara (one); Nasarawa (one); Ogun (one); Oyo (one) and Taraba (one).

From January 1 to July 10, there are 301 suspected cases and 101 confirmed infections (65 males, 36 females) from 23 state, comprising Lagos (14); Adamawa (11); Delta (nine); Nasarawa (seven); Edo (seven); Bayelsa (seven); Rivers (six); Plateau (six); Abuja (five); Ondo (five); Cross River (three); Kwara (three); Borno (three); Imo (two) and Kano (two).

The rest are: Taraba (two); Anambra (two); Katsina (two); Niger (one); Oyo (one); Ogun (one); Kogi (one) and Gombe (one).

NCDC noted that three deaths were recorded from three states – Delta (one); Lagos (one) and Ondo (one).

Cumulatively, since its re-emergence in September 2017 up to July 10, 2022, a total of 813 suspected monkeypox cases have been reported in 35 states.

Of the number, there have been 327 (40.9 per cent) confirmed infections from 29 states, namely Rivers (58); Bayelsa (50); Lagos (44); Delta (38); Cross River (17); Edo (17); FCT (11); Adamawa (11); Imo (10); Nasarawa (nine); Plateau (nine); Akwa Ibom (seven); Oyo (seven); Ondo (five); Enugu (four); Anambra (four); Abia (three) and Kwara (three).

The others consist of Borno (three); Benue (two); Ekiti (two); Kano (two); Niger (two); Ogun (two); Taraba (two); Katsina (two); Ebonyi (one); Gombe (one) and Kogi (one).

During the period, 11 deaths were recorded, showing Case Fatality Ratio
(CFR) of 3.5 per cent in six states – Lagos (three); Edo (two); Imo (one); Cross River (one); FCT (one); Rivers (one); Ondo (one) and Delta (one).

The disease centre cautioned: “We have seen an uptick in monkeypox cases. We have now surpassed the peak number of cases seen in 2017 when MPX re-emerged. However, we believe ongoing efforts to strengthen surveillance, increase awareness from global news headlines and our investment in RCCE have also contributed in part or whole to this observed increase in cases. We will continue to monitor the situation, even as we sustain ongoing response efforts.”

Also, the NCDC noted: “In week 27, the number of new confirmed cases of Lassa fever increased from 9 in week 26, 2022 to 13 cases. These were reported from Ondo, Edo, Plateau and Anambra States.”

It said cumulatively from week 1 to week 27, 160 deaths have been reported with a CFR of 19.0 per cent, which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021 (23.7 per cent).

The NCDC noted: “In total for 2022, 24 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 99 Local Government Areas (LGA). Of all confirmed cases, 69 per cent are from Ondo (30 per cent), Edo (25 per cent), and Bauchi (14 per cent) States…” (The Guardian)

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