The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed four new positive cases of monkeypox as the disease that is fast becoming a global concern spreads to Lagos, Delta, Oyo and Nasarawa states.
The cases were detected between June 6 and 12 from 31 suspected cases across 13 states. Five suspected cases were reported in Lagos during the period, four each in Katsina, Ondo and Bayelsa; three each in Ogun and Oyo and one each in Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Kaduna, Kano, and Imo.
According to the latest situation report from the centre concerning monkeypox, 141 suspected cases have been seen in total, with 36 confirmed cases from 15 states since the beginning of 2022.
One death was recorded in a 40-year-old man with co-morbidity, who was receiving immunosuppressive drugs.
Updates from the World Health Organisation shows that cases of monkeypox have been reported in 28 countries where monkeypox is not usual or has not previously been reported, since May 13, 2022.
There have been 1,536 suspected cases reported from eight countries in the WHO African Region, of which 59 cases have been confirmed and 72 deaths reported.
The body said the sudden appearance of monkeypox simultaneously in several regions without direct immediate travel links to areas that have long experienced monkeypox suggests that there may have been undetected transmission for several weeks or longer.
It also noted that that the continuous detection of the virus and deaths reported in some countries in the African Region highlight the need to better understand the source, and transmission dynamics and provide people with the information and support they need to protect themselves and others in a range of different contexts.
Read also: Quelling the spread of monkeypox
In its new vaccine and immunisation guidance for monkeypox released on Tuesday, the organisation said smallpox vaccines can also be used to control monkeypox.
However, based on currently assessed risks, benefits, vaccine supply, it said mass vaccination is not required nor recommended for monkeypox at this time.
“All decisions around immunization with smallpox or monkeypox vaccines should be by shared clinical decision-making, based on a joint assessment of risks and benefits, between a health care provider and prospective vaccinee, on a case-by-case basis,” the statement said.
It further explained that the control of monkeypox outbreaks primarily relies on public health measures including surveillance, contact-tracing, isolation and care of patients. But while smallpox vaccines are expected to provide some protection against monkeypox, clinical data are limited.
The supply of vaccines is limited and access strategies are under discussion.
The organisation said it is working closely with members and partners to define what type of coordination mechanism could be put in place to ensure fair access to vaccines (and treatments)
But for now, it has urged that all efforts should be made to administer vaccines for monkeypox within a framework of collaborative research and randomized clinical trial (RCT) protocols with standardized data collection tools for clinical and outcome data.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. It’s an infection transmitted from animals to humans. Infection of index cases results from direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animals.
The resurgence in Nigeria this year has prompted the activation of a monkeypox National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in response to the risk assessment conducted, which put Nigeria at high risk for a Monkeypox outbreak.
