Mpox: Children Aged 0-5 Most Affected In 48 Confirmed Cases – NCDC

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported that children aged 0-5 years were the most affected by the Mpox outbreak in the country.

In a statement released on Friday, the NCDC revealed that among the 48 confirmed Mpox cases in Nigeria this year, the majority have occurred in this young age group.

They also reported that between August 19-25 (week 34), eight new cases across five states were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases in 2024 to 48.

The data showed that 57 new suspected cases were recorded during week 34, significantly increasing from the 25 cases reported in the previous week. Additionally, eight confirmed cases were reported in week 34, compared to just one in week 33.

So far, in 2024, 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have reported at least one confirmed case across 35 Local Government Areas. Since September 2017, there have been 4,685 suspected cases reported from 36 states and the FCT, with 1,134 confirmed cases (24.2 per cent) across 35 states and the FCT, resulting in 17 deaths. The disease has predominantly affected males, who make up approximately 70 per cent of cases.

Mpox spreads quickly through contact with infected individuals or contaminated materials. The symptoms typically include an acute illness with a fever above 38.3°C, intense headache, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle aches, and severe weakness. These symptoms are followed by a rash that usually begins on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body, including the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.

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