NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported six confirmed monkeypox (MPX) cases in May 2022, bringing the total confirmed cases to 21 this year, including one fatality.

Monkeypox/CDC

The 21 confirmed cases have been reported from 9 states and the FCT – Adamawa (5), Lagos (4), Bayelsa (2), Delta (2), Cross River (2), FCT (2), Kano (2), Imo (1), Rivers (1). The death was reported in a 40-year-old patient who had underlying co-morbidity and was on immunosuppressive medications.

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.

There are two types (clades) of the MPX virus: the West African and the Central African clade. Available data suggests human disease with the Central African clade is more severe than with the West African clade

Officials note that 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).

From September 2017 (when Nigeria saw a return of monkeypox) to May 29, 2022, Nigeria has reported 247 confirmed monkeypox cases and nine deaths.

On 26th May 2022, the NCDC activated a national multisectoral 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.