By ABUJAH RACHEAL

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says there are 55 confirmed cases of Monkey-pox (Mpox) in Nigeria.

The centre made this known via its official website, noting that the 55 cases were confirmed from the 935 suspected cases across 39 local government areas in 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The agency stated that no death has been recorded from the disease so far this year, adding that 70 per cent of the reported cases were males, while 30 per cent were females.

It pointed out that “the age distribution of confirmed Mpox cases revealed that 19 cases were recorded in ages 0-10, eight cases in ages 11-20 and 12 cases in ages 21-30.

“Additionally, eight cases were recorded in ages 31-40, seven cases in ages 41-50, and one case in an individual aged 50 and above.”

The NCDC gave the breakdown of the confirmed cases to include eight from Enugu, six from Bayelsa, six from Akwa-Ibom, five from Cross River, three from Delta, three from Benue and three from Plateau.

Others are: Osun (two), Imo (two), FCT (two), Anambra (two), Rivers (two), Abia (two), while Lagos, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Edo, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Oyo, Kaduna, and Niger had one case each.

The NCDC explained that “since September 2017, 4,752 suspected cases have been reported from 36 states and the FCT, with 1,141 confirmed cases (24.0 per cent) from 35 States and the FCT with 17 deaths. Males (70 per cent) are predominantly affected.”

The Nigerian public health agency noted that the National Mpox multi-sectoral and multi-partner Emergency Operation Centre has continued to coordinate responses across the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus similar to smallpox, though generally less severe, characterised by symptoms such as fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes.

The disease can spread from animals to humans, as well as between humans through close contact, respiratory droplets and contaminated objects.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox a global public health emergency in August, while the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, acting under its mandate to address significant public health threats, also declared Mpox a public health emergency of continental security on Aug. 13.

While DR Congo is at the epicentre of the outbreak, Mpox has been reported in at least 13 African countries, with Guinea recently confirming its first case.

The virus has also been detected in Pakistan, the Philippines, Sweden and Thailand. (NAN)

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