Monkeypox Kills 40-Year-Old As NCDC Confirms 21 Cases In Nigeria
Nigeria has recorded its first death from monkeypox disease since the beginning of the year 2022, the nation’s disease outbreak management agency has revealed.
In the last five months, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) stated that it has 21 cases from nine states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
These states are, Adamawa – five, Lagos – four, Bayelsa – two, Delta – two, Cross River – two, FCT – two, Kano – two, Imo – one, and Rivers – one.
“The death was reported in a 40-year-old patient who had underlying co-morbidity and was on immunosuppressive medications,” NCDC Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, said in a statement issued on Sunday.
“Genomic surveillance is ongoing at NCDC’s National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and so far, all of the cases have been confirmed to be caused by West Africa clade Monkeypox virus.
“Among the 21 cases reported in 2022 so far, there has been no evidence of any new or unusual transmission of the virus, nor changes in its clinical manifestation documented (including symptoms, profile and virulence).”
Adetifa stated that the NCDC activated a national multisectoral Emergency Operations Centre for Monkeypox (MPX-EOC) at level two last Thursday, to strengthen and coordinate ongoing response activities in-country while contributing to the global response.
This, according to him, was based on the report of a preliminary risk assessment done by a group of Subject Matter Experts from the NCDC, as well as major government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and partner agencies.
