The House of Representatives has expressed concern and call for urgent drastic action to tackle the new epidemic, known as Mpox, which is said to have spread to 33 Nigerian States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
The House Committee on Healthcare Services, that it is working in close collaboration with relevant health agencies and international partners to ensure a coordinated and effective response to the outbreak.
Chairman of the Committee, Dennis Idahosa (APC, Edo), said: “the rising cases of Mpox in our country is a serious threat to public health. “We are fully committed to working with the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and international partners to ensure that we take all necessary actions to curb this epidemic.
“The safety and well-being of Nigerians is our top priority, and we urge everyone to adhere to the health guidelines provided.”
The House promised to liaise with relevant Committees on Health to monitor the situation and collaborate with all relevant authorities to ensure effective management of the outbreak.
“We urge all Nigerians to stay vigilant, follow health advisories, and cooperate with public health officials during this critical time.”
This is coming even as the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, assured the public that the government has implemented a new mandate requiring all travelers to complete an online health declaration form before departing for the country.
“This Mpox Clade 1 strain has caused fatalities in up to 10 percent of individuals who have fallen ill in previous outbreaks. The aim is to tackle and mitigate its impact by deploying measures similar to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Professor Pate said.
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed 39 cases of Mpox in the country, saying that though there is no death so far but that it had recorded the outbreak from 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Director General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, told newsmen that Bayelsa is leading the 33 states with five confirmed cases, while Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states all trailed behind with four confirmed cases.
“The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has been closely monitoring several endemic diseases, including mPox which has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International / Continental Concern (PHEIC / PHECC) by both the WHO and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (ACDC).
“In Nigeria, cumulatively, a total of 39 confirmed cases and zero deaths have been recorded across 33 States + FCT, from the beginning of the year 2024. Bayelsa with five cases,Cross River with four, Ogun with four, Lagos with four, Ondo with three and Ebonyi with three leading the pack.
”Noting the significant concern of the ease of cross-border transmission, this press conference is part of the effort to intensify our coordination and communication with stakeholders to manage the spread of the virus and prevent disease importation.”
He said that so far, about 2,863 confirmed cases and 517 deaths across 13 African countries had been reported in 2024 alone.”
According to him, this alarming increase is linked to a new strain of the Mpox virus which emerged in eastern Congo and has since been detected in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
”As part of the government’s ongoing efforts, we are intensified surveillance across Nigeria to swiftly detect and respond to any new cases.
“This putting all port health services across all five international airports, ten seaports, and 51 land/foot crossing borders on high alert.
“Diagnostic protocols according to the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Control,
IDSR are now distributed to these locations and port health officers are on high alert and screening for suspected cases.
“Some states have also been put on high alert including Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, and Taraba. We are also conducting contact tracing and monitoring for confirmed cases to prevent further spread.
“This will now also include declaration by travellers who have been to any of the countries where there is an ongoing outbreak of MPX in the last 90 days. Additionally, we continue to provide healthcare workers and the public with updated guidance on infection prevention and control measures and train SURGE staff as part of our preparedness and readiness for an MPX public health event.
”The NCDC is also notifying public and private hospitals about the MPX alert and sending a list of referral isolation/treatment centers across the 6 geopolitical zones and reference laboratory networks which includes NRL, CPHL, NIMR, LUTH, ACEGID, UNTH, UPTH.
“We are also considering vaccination efforts for high-risk groups, as Nigeria expects to receive 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine.
“The Technical Working Group ,TWG remains committed to providing evidence-based guidance to inform the country’s next steps in safeguarding the health of Nigerians at national, state, and local government levels.”
Idris described Mpox as a “rare viral zoonotic infectious disease (i.e., disease of animals transmitted from animals to humans) that is endemic in several African countries, including the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa.
“The exact reservoir of the virus is still unknown although rodents, squirrels and monkeys are suspected to play a part in transmission.
“The Mpox virus can spread both from animal to human and from human to human. Animal-to-human transmission may occur by direct contact with the blood, body fluids, skin or mucosal lesions of infected animals (e.g., monkeys, squirrels, and rodents).
“This can happen through a bite, scratch, handling of, or eating inadequately cooked or other products of infected bushmeat.
”Human-to-human (person-to-person) transmission occurs when a person comes into contact with the virus from an infected human, or materials contaminated with the virus such as clothing, beddings.”
Speaking on the sign and symptoms of Mpox, the NCDC DG said that the “symptoms of the illness include fever, headache, body aches, weakness, swollen lymph nodes (glands) and a rash.
“After about one to three days of fever, the rash erupts, beginning on the face and then spreading to the body with the face and palms/soles being mostly affected. They can also occur in and around the genitals which is why contact during sex is another mode of transmission.”
On public advisory, he said: “To prevent the spread of Mpox, we strongly urge members of the public to adhere to proven infection prevention and control measures. These practices are essential in limiting the transmission of the Mpox virus.”
He advised the public to take the following steps to prevent themselves from the dreaded disease: Avoid contact with animals that could harbour the virus, including sick or dead animals in areas where MPX has been confirmed; avoid contact with any material that has been in contact with a sick animal; avoid unnecessary physical contact with persons infected with MPX; and isolate potentially infected animals from other animals.
Others include practice frequent handwashing with soap and water, especially after caring for or visiting sick people: ensure all animal food products are properly cooked before eating and adopt use of appropriate protective clothing and gloves while handling sick animals or their infected tissues and during slaughtering procedures.
While advising the public to report all cases with the associated symptoms mentioned above to the nearest health facility for care, and/or call the NCDC toll-free line on 6232, Dr Idris said: “Nigeria government is making effort to make vaccine available to the public, especially the hotspot area. The vaccine has been shown to have a favorable safety profile.
