• The current mpox outbreak began in the DRC and has spread to 17 African countries.
• A total of 38,000 cases have been registered, with 1,400 deaths.
Mpox is a viral disease that occurs primarily in remote areas of central and western Africa, adjacent to tropical forests.
The first case of transmission from an animal to a human was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The Nigerian authorities are switching to enhanced surveillance of the epidemiological situation and identifying those who have been in contact with infected people in order to stop the spread of the virus.
There are already 39 confirmed cases of mpox in the country, spread across 33 of Nigeria's 36 states, according to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
There have been no casualties so far.
“Surveillance has been intensified nationwide to ensure the rapid detection and response to any new cases, along with implementing other public health measures to prevent the importation or further spread of the disease,” the NCDC said.
According to media reports, Jide Idris, the Director General of the NCDC, mentioned at a press conference that vaccination plans are under consideration for populations in high-risk regions.
The current mpox outbreak began in the DRC and has spread to 17 African countries.
A total of 38,000 cases have been registered, with 1,400 deaths.
Five African countries—Burundi, the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda—are on the World Health Organization's list of countries recommended to take special measures to combat the mpox outbreak.