RED ALERT: Mpox spreads to 19 states; cases now 40

The current Mpox outbreak in Nigeria has spread to 30 local government areas in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 40 confirmed cases so far.

A report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) also showed that there are so far a total of 802 suspected cases in 33 states of the Federation, reports Daily Trust.

This situation report was released a few days before the United States government donated 10,000 doses of Mpox vaccines to Nigeria.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDC) had declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International and Continental Concern (PHEIC/PHECC) following an outbreak of the disease across the continent.

Data from the latest Mpox situation room at the NCDC showed that the 40 cases in Nigeria were confirmed as at 19th of this month, which is the beginning of the 34th week of the year 2024.

No death from the disease has so far been recorded in the country this year.

The states with the confirmed cases are Bayelsa (5) Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Cross River (4 cases each), Benue (3), Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Delta, Anambra, Rivers, Plateau (2 each); Nasarawa, Lagos, Zamfara, Kebbi, Oyo, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi (1 each) and Osun (2).

So far, 2,863 confirmed cases and 517 deaths across 13 African countries have been reported in this year alone.

The outbreak has been linked to a new strain of the Mpox virus which emerged in Eastern Congo and has since been detected in other countries including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

Lagos raises alarm over new variant from African countries

The Lagos State Government yesterday raised the alarm over the potential risk of importing a new variant of Mpox, known as Clay 1, from neighbouring African countries affected by the outbreak via airline and shipping routes.

During a media briefing, the State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said the World Health Organization (WHO) had identified the new variant’s outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Abayomi expressed concern that the spread of the new variant to other African countries near DRC, such as Cameroon, Rwanda, and Burundi, increases the risk of it reaching Lagos.

“We are here today to discuss the risks associated with the new mpox variant, Clay 1, which is currently circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo and spreading to neighbouring countries.

“Our concern is that this virus could be imported into Lagos through various airline and shipping routes, potentially bringing contaminated passengers, goods, or materials into our state.

“The WHO has already declared this outbreak in the DRC as a public health emergency of international concern,” he said.

Abayomi said Lagos has not reported any active cases of the new variant but has implemented preventive measures in case of an outbreak.

“To clarify, we do not have any active cases in Lagos at this time. However, this situation requires a global response, as failure to address it could severely impact the health, well-being, and economic stability of multiple countries,” he added.

He said the state plans to set up emergency operations centres specifically to address mpox outbreak and will launch a statewide public health awareness campaign on how to take proactive steps to avoid exposure to the virus.

US donates 10, 000 vaccine doses to Nigeria

The United States Government yesterday donated 10, 000 doses of JYNNEOS Mpox vaccine to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

Speaking while handing over the vaccines to the agency, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, said the vaccines were donated through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

He said the donation would support the federal government’s response to the current Mpox outbreak.

Mills said the US government recognises that a public health threat in one place is a global health concern for all, and has prioritized support for global health security, particularly in countries that are most vulnerable.

He said: “I would like to commend the Government of Nigeria for being proactive in leveraging support and leading a coordinated effort to respond to the outbreak before it escalates.

“The federal government of Nigeria has also shown its steadfast commitment to strengthening global health security by developing a comprehensive National Mpox Vaccination Strategy and Deployment Plan.

“Nigeria’s commitment to global health security is reflected in its marked improvements in the ability to assess, prevent, detect and respond to public health threats.”

The Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, said the agency was committed to ensuring that these vaccines are distributed equitably and efficiently to those at highest risk.

He said: “Our strategy will prioritise front line workers, individuals who have had close contact with confirmed Mpox cases and vulnerable population. We will work closely with state and local health authorities to implement a targeted vaccination programme that maximizes the impact of these limited but crucial resources.

“I have no doubt that the Nigerian health team is capable of rising to the challenge, even as we did during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Aina, however, noted that vaccination is just one part of its comprehensive approach to combating Mpox.

“We will continue to strengthen our surveillance systems in collaboration with NCDC, enhancing our ability to detect and respond rapidly to new cases,” he stated.

He said: “The arrival of the 10,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine donated by the good people of the United States of America to the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a critical step as we mount our response and preparedness towards the virus.”

He said Nigeria had a significant outbreak in 2022 when the county did not have access to the vaccine.

Aina said that brought into sharp focus the real threat that MPox poses to Nigeria.

According to him, the WHO’s recent declaration of Mpox as a public health emergency of further emphasizes the global nature of this challenge.

What to know about Mpox

Mpox is said to be a rare viral zoonotic infectious disease (i.e., disease of animals transmitted from animals to humans) that is endemic in several African countries, including the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa. The exact reservoir of the virus is still unknown although rodents, squirrels and monkeys are suspected to play a part in transmission.

The Mpox virus, according to experts, can spread both from animal to human and from human to human. Animal-to-human transmission may occur by direct contact with the blood, body fluids, skin or mucosal lesions of infected animals (e.g., monkeys, squirrels, and rodents). This, experts said, can happen through a bite, scratch, handling of, or eating inadequately cooked or other products of infected bushmeat. Human-to-human (person-to-person) transmission occurs when a person comes into contact with the virus from an infected human, or materials contaminated with the virus such as clothing, beddings.

Symptoms of the disease, according to experts, include fever, headache, body aches, weakness, swollen lymph nodes (glands) and a rash. After about 1 to 3 days of fever, the rash erupts, beginning on the face and then spreading to the body with the face and palms/soles being mostly affected. They can also occur in and around the genitals which is why contact during sex is another mode of transmission, according to the NCDC.

The NCDC has urged members of the public to adhere to proven infection prevention and control measures, including:

-Avoiding contact with animals that could harbour the virus including sick or dead animals in areas where Mpox has been confirmed.

-Avoiding contact with any material that has been in contact with a sick animal.

-Avoiding unnecessary physical contact with persons infected with Mpox.

-Isolating potentially infected animals from other animals.

-Practicing frequent handwashing with soap and water especially after caring for or visiting sick people.

-Ensuring all animal food products are properly cooked before eating.

-Using appropriate protective clothing and gloves while handling sick animals or their infected tissues and during slaughtering procedures.