Nigeria recorded 558 cases, killing 8 people in 5 years

Approximately 72 hours after British health officials announced that travelers from Nigeria tested positive for monkeypox infection, the Nigerian government announced that the cases and deaths of illnesses recorded domestically within the last five years. We released statistics.

The Nigeria Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The (NCDC) said in its latest report that it recorded 558 cases and 8 deaths in 32 federal and federal capital territory (FCT) states between 2017 and 2022.

Over the weekend, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed monkeypox infections in an unidentified individual who appeared to have been contracted in Nigeria before arriving in the United Kingdom.

UKHSA states in a publication on the UK Government’s official website that the patient is being treated with an infectious disease unit without revealing the patient’s identity.

Nigerian monkeypox

NCDC, the latest epidemiological summary of monkeypox released on Monday, said Nigeria has been reporting sporadic cases of the disease since September 2017.

The National Technical Working Group (TWG) has been established and is responsible for monitoring infections and strengthening readiness and response capabilities.

Disease Management Centers are Edo (2), Lagos (2), Imo (1), Cross River (1), FCT (1) and Rivers (1) – September 2017-April 30, 2022.

As a breakdown of the cases, the Center stated that a total of 13 suspicious cases were reported between January 1st and February 28th, 2022.

In February, Bayelsa recorded three cases and six new suspicious cases in three states, he said. Two potatoes. And Lagos, one.

NCDC said that only suspicious cases of Lagos were found to be positive after the test results were published.

The disease group further noted that between September 2017 and February 2022, a total of 525 suspicious cases were reported from 32 states in the country.

Of these reported cases, NCDC said a total of 230, equivalent to 43.8 percent, were identified in 20 states and FCTs. Note that Rivers is at the top of the list with 52 cases, followed by Bayelsa and Lagos with 43 and 31 cases, respectively.

The FCT recorded 7 cases, but in other states Delta (29), Cross River (14), Edo (10), Imo (9), Acwai Bomb (7), Oyo (6), Enugu (4). ), Avia (3), Plateau (3), Nasarawa (2), Benue (2), Anambra (2), Ekiti (2), Eboni (1), Niger (1), Ogun (1), Adamawa (1) ).

A total of eight deaths were recorded in six states: Edo (2), Lagos (2), potatoes (1), Cross River (1), FCT (1), and Rivers (1) (CFR = 3.5). %). 1) From September 2017 to February 28, 2022.

Details of infectious diseases

Meanwhile, Colin Brown, Head of Clinical and Emerging Infectious Diseases at UKHSA, explained that monkeypox is a rare viral infection and does not spread easily among people. “It is usually a mild, self-limiting illness that most people recover within a few weeks, but some people can develop a serious illness.”

He states: “If someone is in close contact with an infected person, the infection can spread, but the risk of infecting the general public is very low.

Read again: UK confirms monkeypox infections of travelers from Nigeria

“Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and malaise. Rashes can occur, often starting on the face and on other parts of the body. It spreads. The rash changes and goes through various stages, eventually forming a lymph node. The lymph node will fall off later. “

He added that the UKHSA and NHS have established robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious diseases and that the protocol is strictly adhered to.

About monkeypox

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of monkeypox occurred in a colony of monkeys kept for research. It was named “Monkeypox”.

The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1970 during a period of intense efforts to eliminate smallpox.

Since then, monkeypox has been reported in people of several other Central and West African countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone.