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Tag: Mpox

  • Lassa Fever claims 13 lives in Edo, 3 Mpox cases recorded

    Lassa Fever claims 13 lives in Edo, 3 Mpox cases recorded

    The Edo Government has confirmed 13 deaths from  outbreak of Lassa fever in the state.

    Dr Stephenson Ojeifo, Director of Public Health at the State Ministry of Health, gave the update during an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Benin.

    According to him, three cases of Mpox otherwise known as Monkeypox was also recorded, though with no fatalities.

    Ojeifo noted that since the outbreak of Lassa fever was declared on Dec. 30, 2024, the state had recorded 83 confirmed cases out of 378 suspected cases.

    “So far, we have 83 confirmed Lassa fever cases, with 13 deaths.

    “Seven patients are currently receiving treatment, while others have been discharged,” he said.

    He said the fatalities were recorded in Etsako West, Esan West  and Esan North-East Local Government Areas of the state, which had been identified as the epicenters of the outbreak.

    He, however, attributed the high mortality rate to late presentation at health facilities.

    Ojeifo said the state government was working with private hospitals to ensure timely referrals to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, the designated centre for Lassa Fever treatment.

    He said that health officials from the state and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, had also conducted contact tracing in affected communities.

    “Lassa fever initially presents with symptoms similar to malaria, until it reaches an advanced stage.

    “We are sensitising communities to seek medical attention if a fever persists beyond 72 hours,” Ojeifo said.

    The director urged residents to avoid self-medication and seek immediate care at the nearest hospital if they experienced symptoms resembling malaria.

  • Edo records 1 confirmed case of Mpox

    Edo records 1 confirmed case of Mpox

    Dr Stephenson Ojeifo, Director of Public Health, Edo State Ministry of Health, says the state has recorded one confirmed case of Mpox between January and August.

    In an interview with NAN on Friday, Ojeifo said the confirmed case was among the 11 suspected cases recorded in the state during the period under review.

    “All 11 samples were sent to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja. We have gotten 10 tested results and one outstanding result which we are expecting to come.

    “The outstanding is due to the fact that the patient’s sample was collected in Delta State, but the patient is from Edo, so the result will come through Delta.

    “Out of the 10 results obtained, we have one positive case. The case was among the three suspected cases reported earlier in the month of August”.

    He said the confirmed case was a patient from Esan West Local Government Area of the state, but was still hale and hearty.

    “The patient was admitted before the sample was collected. The patient has been discharged and is hale and hearty,” he said.

    According to him, contact tracing has been done and nobody has come down with any symptom of Mpox.

    “We are working round the clock to see how we can keep our surveillance stronger and borders intact.”

  • Nigeria first in Africa to receive mpox vaccines – WHO

    Nigeria first in Africa to receive mpox vaccines – WHO

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Nigeria is the first country in Africa to receive mpox vaccines, aimed at combating the spread of the new strain of mpox virus.

    WHO in a statement stated that Nigeria received 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines on Tuesday.

    On Aug. 14 the chief of the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the rise of mpox, formerly monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern.

    Following his announcement, the chief, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said he was working with partners to facilitate equitable access to vaccines.

    The United States government has donated the Jynneos (MVA) vaccine to Nigeria, and it is set to be distributed in five of the country’s states, where the most mpox cases have been detected.

    “We are pleased to receive this modest initial donation of the mpox vaccine, which is safe and efficacious,” Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate, said.

    “We will continue to strengthen surveillance and be vigilant to prevent and control mpox.”

    The MVA vaccine will be given to 5,000 people most at risk of the virus in a two-dose schedule.

    This includes “close contacts of mpox cases and frontline healthcare workers, with a provision for reactive vaccination in other states as the need arises,” according to WHO’s regional office for Africa.

    While waiting for the vaccines to be administered, Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, has approved the vaccine’s emergency use.

    “The delivery of the mpox vaccines to Nigeria not only constitutes a crucial addition to the ongoing measures to halt the virus and protect health, but it is also a clear demonstration of international solidarity in the face of global public health emergencies,” Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director of Africa said.

    WHO’s Africa office says “serious gaps in mpox vaccine access” remain in Africa.

    The organisation is working with countries and manufacturers to increase access to the needed vaccines.

    Further, WHO is collaborating with partners including the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and others to “enable donations from countries with existing stockpiles.”

    The partners are also developing a “donation scheme” to ensure the limited vaccines are used in areas where it is most needed.

    WHO’s Africa office is assisting the Nigerian Government to improve “surveillance and contact tracing, laboratory capacity, risk communication, and community engagement” as the country has had 786 suspected mpox cases and 39 confirmed cases as of Aug. 10 .

    Health officials are also implementing early case detection and diagnostics, as well as increasing cross-border surveillance, notably at main points of entry throughout the country.

  • Mpox clade 1b transmission worries Lagos govt

    Mpox clade 1b transmission worries Lagos govt

    The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has expressed concern about the potential risk of mpox clade 1b transmission into the state.  Abayomi said this during a news conference by the state Ministry of Health on Mpox on Tuesday in Lagos.

    “We are worried that there is a potential that this virus can be imported into Lagos because there are multiple airline routes and shipping routes that could bring passengers or persons or goods that are contaminated with this clade. That is of concern to us in Nigeria, in Lagos, and to the continent,” he said.

    The clade Ib mpox outbreak, which began in September 2023 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is having an increasing number of cases in the country.

    The virus has also spread to Cameroon, Rwanda, Burundi, among other countries.

    Abayomi acknowledged the risk and virulence of the clade 1b variant, noting that the pathogen could adversely affect the welfare, well-being, and economic activity of multiple countries.

    To mitigate the risk, Abayomi disclosed that the state had activated an Emergency Operation Centre and a statewide public health awareness campaign to educate the public on Mpox.

    According to him, the proactive strategy is to enlighten residents on Mpox risk, and how to take proactive measures to curtail being exposed to the virus should the situation arise.

    “Lagos knows that it needs to be proactive because of the density of our population, the risk that any contagion that is imported into Lagos can easily spread from person to person,” he said.

    The commissioner stressed that there were no active mpox cases in Lagos.

    He said that the state was upscaling its epidemic preparedness and response plan as done in its fight against Ebola, COVID-19, cholera, lassa fever, and marburg.

    He said the state converged local and international experts to assess its risk levels, public health countermeasures and treatment to prevent disruption of economic livelihood and safety if transmission occurs.

    The commissioner said the meeting was held with support from WHO, UNICEF, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Nigerian Public Health Development Agency, and the Federal Port Health Services.

    “We are proactively preparing to ensure that we have the right ability to recognise it, the correct ability to diagnose it, the correct ability to speciate it, to distinguish the various mutants of mpox, either clade 2a, clade 1a, or clade 1b, and the correct environment to manage and treat it.

    “At the same time, we will be preparing our residents through a massive public health campaign so that they can recognise the risk associated with contracting mpox.

    “The risk associated with transmitting it, and the ability to recognise it if it should show up in your vicinity so that you can bring it to the attention of the Lagos State Ministry of Health,” he said.

    The commissioner maintained that the state was prepared and had an evolving strategy to tackle mpox if transmitted to the state.

    On vaccines, Abayomi said there are ongoing debates on its deployment for citizens who might require it in the country.

    According to WHO, Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.

    There are two distinct clades of the virus: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb). In 2022 to 2023 a global outbreak of mpox was caused by the clade IIb strain.

    Clade I causes more severe illness and deaths and is endemic to Central Africa while clade II is less severe, and endemic to West Africa.

    Mpox causes rashes, flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. The disease can be fatal, especially for children, pregnant women and those with suppressed immune systems.

    It is transmitted through close contact, such as sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person.

    Animal to human transmission of mpox occurs from infected animals to humans from bites or scratches, or during activities such as hunting, skinning, trapping, cooking, playing with carcasses, or eating animals.

    Mpox has been causing widespread devastation in several regions of Africa, prompting WHO to declare it a Global Health Emergency on Aug. 16, saying it requires urgent and coordinated international action to contain its spread and mitigate its impact.

    Mpox is treated with supportive care for symptoms such as pain and fever, with close attention to nutrition, hydration, skin care, prevention of secondary infections and treatment of co-infections, including HIV where present.

    Data from Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (AfricaCDC) showed that 3,101 confirmed and 15,636 suspected mpox cases have been reported from 12 African countries, resulting in 541 deaths.

    According to NCDC, 40 confirmed mpox cases and zero deaths were recorded in 19 states and the FCT from the beginning of 2024.

    Data shows that mpox cases in Nigeria are clade II, with concerted efforts ongoing to prevent transmission of mpox clade Ib to the country.

  • UNHCR: Suspected 40 mpox cases among Congolese refugees

    UNHCR: Suspected 40 mpox cases among Congolese refugees

    Dozens of possible cases of the viral disease mpox have emerged among refugees and displaced people in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is deeply concerned because it is hard to reach those affected.

    In addition, the cramped conditions facing many refugees means it is difficult to keep physical distance from one another in order to prevent the virus from spreading.

    UNHCR health officer Allen Maina spoke of some 40 suspected cases.

    There are hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced people in the region.

    Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is related to smallpox.

    It causes skin lesions, fever and muscular aches.

    There are two vaccines, but they are in short supply in Africa.

    Experts believe the new variant, which has been spreading rapidly in parts of central Africa, is likely more contagious than previous strains and can cause a more severe infection.

    However, mpox is generally not easily transmitted, with direct contact needed for spread.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern and has not ruled out the possibility of it spreading beyond African countries.

  • WHO unveils plan to contain Mpox outbreak

    WHO unveils plan to contain Mpox outbreak

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) hon Monday unveiled a global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan ( SPRP)to tackle human-to-human transmission of mpox. This is contained in a statement issued by the world health body. The plan which will run from September 2024 to February 2025, requiring 135 million U.S. dollars in funding.

    It also includes coordinating global, regional, and national efforts, it aims to enhance surveillance and response strategies, ensure equitable access to diagnostics and vaccines, reduce animal-to-human transmission, and empower communities in outbreak control.

    The organisation made this known on Monday in a statement.

    The WHO said the unveiling follows the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern by Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO, Director-General on Aug. 14.

    According to it, a funding appeal for what WHO needs to deliver on the plan will be launched shortly.

    The WHO said  that the plan, which builds on the temporary recommendations and standing recommendations issued by the Ghebreyesus focuses on implementing comprehensive surveillance, prevention, readiness.

    Others are response strategies; advancing research and equitable access to medical countermeasures like diagnostic tests and vaccines; minimizing animal-to-human transmission; and empowering communities to actively participate in outbreak prevention and control.

    According to the WHO, strategic vaccination efforts will focus on individuals at the highest risk, including close contacts of recent cases and healthcare workers, to interrupt transmission chains.

    “At the global-level, the emphasis is on strategic leadership, timely evidence-based guidance, and access to medical countermeasures for the most at-risk groups in affected countries.

    “WHO is working with a broad range of international, regional, national and local partners and networks to enhance coordination across key areas of preparedness, readiness and response.

    ” This includes engagement with the ACT-Accelerator Principals group; the Standing Committee on Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response; the R and D Blueprint for Epidemics; and the interim Medical Counter Measures Network (i-MCM Net),” it stated.

    It said that WHO R and D Blueprint, along with Africa CDC, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, would host a virtual scientific conference on August 29 to 30 to align mpox research with outbreak control goals.

    Ghebreyesus said that the mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries can be controlled and stopped.

    He said that doing so required a comprehensive and coordinated plan of action between international agencies, national and local partners, civil society, researchers and manufacturers, and our Member States.

    “This SPRP provides that plan, based on the principles of equity, global solidarity, community empowerment, human rights, and coordination across sectors.,” WHO boss said.

    According to him, WHO headquarters and regional offices have established incident management support teams to lead preparedness, readiness and response activities, and are significantly scaling up staff in affected countries.

    He said that within the Africa Region, where need was greatest, the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) in collaboration with Africa CDC, would jointly spearhead the coordination of mpox response efforts.

    “WHO AFRO and Africa CDC have agreed on a one-plan, one-budget approach as part of the Africa Continental Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, currently under preparation.

    “At the national and sub-national level, health authorities will adapt strategies in response to current epidemiological trends,” he said.

  • Osun govt refutes claims of new Mpox cases

    Osun govt refutes claims of new Mpox cases

    Dr Akeem Bello, Director of Public Health in Osun, has dismissed reports of new monkeypox (M-pox) cases resurfacing in Ilesa, Osun. In a telephone interview on Monday in Osogbo, Bello stated that only two cases had been recorded since January.

    “We have had only two cases this year, one in March and the latest in the last week of August. The new case was in Ilesa, and we promptly conducted contact tracing to determine if others had contracted the disease,” Bello explained.

    He confirmed that the August patient was stable and emphasised that the state government had activated an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for M-pox. He added that staff members were undergoing training and retraining to improve their ability to identify and manage the spread of M-pox.

    Bello added that weekly meetings would be held to review events, and the government was fully informed. He also said surveillance activities had been intensified, and research was being conducted.
    Bello further said that the residents were advised to prioritise personal hygiene, as the disease was preventable.

    “Although the M-pox vaccine is not readily available in Nigeria, the government has assured residents that they will receive it when it becomes available,” Bello said, while reassuring the public that the situation was under control and there was no cause for alarm.

    In a separate statement, Osun Commissioner for Health, Mr Jola Akintola, held a meeting of the Monkeypox Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the Ministry of Health in Osogbo. He urged residents not to panic and assured them that the state government was actively managing the situation.

    Akintola emphasised that M-pox was a preventable disease and commended Gov, Ademola Adeleke for his proactive leadership and dedication to public health.

  • Cross River Govt confirms 1 case of Mpox

    Cross River Govt confirms 1 case of Mpox

    The Cross River Government has confirmed one case of Mpox in  Okoshe community in Obudu Local Government Area.

    The confirmation is coming a few days after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) reported a case in the state.

    The Mpox case was initially denied by the State  Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk.

    However, Ayuk, while addressing newsmen in Calabar on Sunday, said that the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja confirmed the presence of Mpox in one patient in Obudu.

    He explained that the ministry of health was alerted to a possible case of Mpox or chickenpox on Aug.19 by an Ebonyi Epidemiologist.

    ”The patient, a female resident of Okoshe village in Obudu, sought medical care at the Federal Medical Centre in Abakaliki.

    “Her test sample was sent to the National Reference Laboratory, and the result, which returned on Saturday, Aug. 24, confirmed Mpox and ruled out chickenpox,”Ayuk said.

    The commissioner said that the state government was working to prevent a possible outbreak in the area.

    “While we are still investigating the patient’s travel history, the state government is taking immediate action to contain any possible spread in Obudu,” he assured.

    The commissioner said the ministry had ordered for immediate activation of the Mpox Emergency Operation Center to strengthen the response.

    He said Dr Ekpo Ekpo, Special Adviser to Gov. Bassey Otu on Health, has been appointed as Incident Manager.

    He also directed the Obudu LGA response team to collaborate with the state health team to mitigate efforts immediately.

    The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Cross River appealed to the state government to enhance surveillance measures, citing the state’s vulnerability to such outbreak.

    NAN reports that the NCDC on Friday announced that the country has recorded a total of 40 confirmed cases of mpox out of 830 suspected cases.The NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, made this announcement at the Joint NCDC/World Health Organisation National Mpox briefing with stakeholders and partners in Abuja.

    The WHO Nigeria Country Office disclosed that Nigeria would be receiving doses of the mpox vaccine through a donation from the United States Government.

    Idris noted that an Emergency Operations Centre and an Incident Management System have been established since mpox was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

    The NCDC said the cases recorded are Bayelsa, Cross River, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo and Ebonyi,

    The centre saus some states have also been put on high alert including Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, and Taraba.

    The centre said that the National Mpox Technical Working Group (TWG), is coordinating Mpox response activities.

  • Mpox: Sweden reports first case of variant outside Africa

    Mpox: Sweden reports first case of variant outside Africa

    Sweden’s public health agency has confirmed the first case of a contagious new variant of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outside the African continent.

    The individual contracted the infection while visiting an area in Africa where mpox Clade 1 is currently experiencing a significant outbreak.

    Clade 1 is considered more severe, with a higher risk of mortality, and is primarily spread through close household contacts, often affecting children.

    In contrast, Clade 2, which was previously detected in Sweden in 2022, is milder and mainly spread through sexual contact.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of international concern, with at least 450 reported deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and further spread to central and east Africa.

    Mpox is transmitted through close contact, including sex, skin-to-skin contact, and respiratory droplets, causing flu-like symptoms, skin lesions, and potentially fatal complications, with a mortality rate of 4%.”

  • Mpox: EU to donate 215,000 doses of vaccines to Africa

    Mpox: EU to donate 215,000 doses of vaccines to Africa

    The European Union has announced it will donate 215,000 doses of vaccines to Africa to combat the ongoing Mpox outbreak on the continent.

     

    According to a statement on Wednesday, the EU said the donation includes 175,420 doses of the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) Mpox vaccine, with an additional 40,000 doses contributed directly by the pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic.

     

    The MVA-BN vaccine, a non-replicating smallpox vaccine, is the only Mpox vaccine approved in the EU and is authorized for use in individuals aged 18 and older. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) will oversee the distribution of these vaccines to the affected countries based on regional needs.

     

    In addition to the vaccine donation, the EU’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) is collaborating with Africa CDC to enhance Mpox diagnostics and sequencing capabilities in the region, supported by a €3.5 million grant to be utilized by early autumn.

     

    Stella Kyriakides, the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, emphasized the importance of global collaboration in health emergencies, stating, “Strong global partnerships are at the very core of our European Health Union. Health security threats know no borders and today, thanks to the collaboration between the European Commission, Africa CDC, and Bavarian Nordic, we make 215,000 vaccines available to protect the most vulnerable in countries affected by the outbreak of Mpox in Africa. Preparedness and response to health threats is a global endeavor which we are determined to pursue collectively and with solidarity across borders.”

     

    Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, expressed gratitude for the swift support, noting, “The donation of over 215,000 doses from Bavarian Nordic is a crucial step in our fight against this crisis. This partnership not only delivers essential vaccines but also underscores our collective commitment to safeguarding health across Africa. It exemplifies the power of international collaboration in addressing public health emergencies. Together, we will strengthen our response efforts and ensure that communities across the continent receive the protection they need.”

     

    The Africa CDC recently declared Mpox a “public health emergency of continental security” as the virus spread across several countries. Since the beginning of the year, over 13,700 cases and 450 deaths have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with additional cases in Burundi, Central African Republic, Kenya, and Rwanda.