The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported that children aged 0-5 years are the most affected by the Mpox outbreak in the country.
This information was disclosed in a statement released by the NCDC on Friday. According to the center, out of the 48 confirmed cases of Mpox recorded in Nigeria this year, the highest incidence is among children in this age group.
Mpox is known to spread easily through contact with infected individuals or contaminated materials.
In an update on the disease, the NCDC reported that during week 34 (August 19-25), eight new confirmed cases were recorded across five states, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in 2024 to 48.
A further breakdown of the data revealed that 57 new suspected cases were reported in week 34, compared to 25 cases in week 33.
Additionally, eight confirmed cases were reported in week 34, compared to just one confirmed case in week 33, 2024.
So far in 2024, at least one confirmed case has been recorded in 20 states and the FCT, across 35 Local Government Areas.
Since September 2017, 4,685 suspected cases have been reported from 36 states and the FCT, with 1,134 confirmed cases (24.2%) from 35 states and the FCT, and 17 deaths. Males account for approximately 70% of those affected.
The symptoms of Mpox typically include a sudden onset of fever above 38.3°C, severe headache, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle aches, and extreme fatigue, followed by a progressively developing rash that often begins on the face (where it is most concentrated) and then spreads to other parts of the body, including the soles of the feet and palms of the hands.