Dr. Jide Idris, Director-General of the NCDC, shared this update during a press briefing in Abuja, noting that the confirmed cases are distributed across 12 to 13 states, including significant numbers in the South-South, South-East, Lagos, Ogun, and some northern regions.

Dr. Idris highlighted the positive news that, despite the number of cases, there have been no reported fatalities. He emphasized the NCDC’s strategy to focus efforts on the affected states to reduce the number of new cases. “We currently have 40 confirmed cases out of 830 suspected ones. Thankfully, there have been no deaths, which is remarkable,” Dr. Idris said.

The NCDC is enhancing its laboratory services to improve testing capabilities. Confirmed cases have been identified through genomic sequencing at two key laboratories: the National Research Lab in Abuja and another in Lagos. To better manage the virus’s spread, the NCDC is expanding testing facilities to include NIMA, LUTH, and the African Center for Genomics.

Dr. Idris noted the importance of bolstering laboratory capabilities, especially in the South-South and South-East regions, where while many laboratories can perform PCR testing, some may lack specific Mpox testing capabilities.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has categorized Nigeria’s risk level for Mpox as moderate rather than high. Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO country representative in Nigeria, emphasized the need for continued vigilance and monitoring due to the global spread of the virus.

“We have observed cases in Europe and now in Asia. Nigeria is at moderate risk, but we must remain vigilant until the global situation is under control,” Dr. Mulombo stated. The WHO reaffirmed its commitment to assisting the Nigerian government in enhancing public health measures to control the Mpox outbreak.