By Aaior K. Comfort

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a higher incidence of Mpox infections among males in Nigeria. As of January 2024, 67% of Mpox cases have been among men. Since the disease’s first confirmed cases in September 2017, approximately 70% of the 6,001 suspected and confirmed cases have involved males.

The NCDC’s latest figures reveal that 1,031 suspected cases have been reported across 47 local government areas in 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 67 confirmed cases in 2024 alone. The most affected age groups are children under five, followed by those aged 26-30 and 46-50.

Despite the increase in cases, there have been no fatalities from Mpox in 2024, contrasting with two deaths in 2022 and seven in 2023.

Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, manifests as a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. It spreads through close contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects. The World Health Organization has declared Mpox a global public health emergency.

In response to the outbreak, the WHO recently approved the MVA-BN vaccine for Mpox, and Nigeria has received a donation of 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine from the United States government.