The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has revealed that at least one person has died as a result of monkeypox disease while there are currently no fewer than 66 suspected cases. This was disclosed on Sunday in a monkeypox situation report signed by Director General, NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa.
The statement reads in part, “This year, as of 29th May 2022, a total of 21 confirmed cases with one death have been reported from 9 states and the FCT.
“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 African Monkeypox virus.
“On 26th May 2022, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention activated a national multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre for Monkeypox (MPX-EOC) at level 2 to strengthen and coordinate ongoing response activities in-country while contributing to the global response”.
NCDC stated that monkeypox infection can be from animal to human and from human to human.
According to the Centre, animal to human transmission can happen due to direct contact with blood, skin and bodily fluids of infected animals such as monkeys and rodents.
The monkeypox virus enters the body via the respiratory tract, broken skin, and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose or mouth.
Infection between humans can occur when a person comes in contact with an infected person, monkeypox-contaminated materials such as clothing, beddings or via aerosols/droplets after prolonged close or face to face contact.
Symptoms include fever, body aches, a rash, weakness, headache and swollen lymph nodes (glands). The rash erupts and spreads to the body after 1 to 3 days of fever.
