Lara Adejoro As the mpox outbreak in Africa spreads, the Federal Government has intensified monitoring and screening procedures at all entry points in the country in response to the outbreak. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday signed by his Special Adviser on Media & External Relations, Tashikalmah Hallah.
The Africa Centre for Disease Control on Tuesday declared a public health emergency over the growing mpox outbreak on the continent. The outbreak has swept through several African countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo. There is a serious and growing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has now expanded outside the country.
A new viral strain, which first emerged in September 2023, has, for the first time been detected outside DRC. The World Health Organisation stressed that the emergence last year and rapid spread of a new virus strain in DRC, clade 1b, which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in countries neighbouring the DRC are especially concerning, and one of the main reasons for the declaration of the PHEIC. So far, about 2,863 confirmed mpox cases and 517 deaths across 13 African countries have been reported in 2024 alone.
In Nigeria, cumulatively, a total of 39 confirmed cases and zero deaths have been recorded across 33 States and the FCT, from the beginning of the year 2024. Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic inf.
