The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 59 suspected
and 15 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been recorded in the country.
Chikwe Ihekweazu,
director-general of the NCDC, spoke on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) in Texas,
United States, had on July 16 reported a case of monkeypox in a resident who recently returned from
Nigeria.
According to the DCHHS,
the individual, whose name was withheld, is a resident of Dallas, Texas who
travelled from Nigeria, and arrived at Love Field airport on July 9.
Speaking with NAN on the
development, Ihekweazu said an outbreak would be declared when there is a large
cluster of monkeypox cases.
He said: “The federal
government was notified of the situation in Texas, through the International
Health Regulations (IHR), who reported a case of monkeypox disease diagnosed in
a patient who had recently visited Nigeria.
“Since the re-emergence
of monkeypox in the country in September 2017, the agency has continued to
receive reports and responses to sporadic cases of the disease from states
across the country.
“We have been working closely with state
health ministries to strengthen monkeypox disease surveillance and response in
the country.
“We work with enhanced
monkeypox surveillance project where we have been training health workers
across states to rapidly detect and manage cases.
“Our initial focus is on
the states with the highest number of cases – Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Lagos.
“We will continue
working with all states to strengthen monkeypox prevention, detection and
control in Nigeria.”
Ihekweazu advised
Nigerians that “if you feel ill or have a sudden rash, please visit a hospital
for diagnosis and management”.
Monkeypox is caused by a
virus closely related to that which causes smallpox and cowpox, although not as
deadly as smallpox.
It is spread via large
respiratory droplets from someone showing symptoms of the disease, and can also
be transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluids or lesion material. People
who are asymptomatic cannot spread the virus.
