Nigeria has recorded three Mpox-related deaths in Abia, Ebonyi and Rivers states, involving a young male with advanced HIV and Tuberculosis (TB). This brings the national Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for 2025 to 2.2 per cent.
Meanwhile, a total of 723 suspected cases of Mpox were reported across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Out of this number, 136 cases were laboratory-confirmed, spanning 27 states and the FCT.
The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed this at the National Health Security meeting on Friday in Abuja, said that appropriate comprehensive and multi-tiered response strategy has been put in place, including the activation of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) to provide both national and sub-national leadership through weekly review meetings with hotspot states.
He noted that National Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been deployed to hotspot states to strengthen the response capacity of local health authorities. Idris stated that essential medicines, intravenous fluids, personal protective equipment, laboratory consumables and other necessary materials have been strategically distributed to and also prepositioned in states to ensure timely access during case surges.
He noted that Mpox has shown a steady increase in Nigeria since its reemergence in 2017, with sharp spikes from 2022 to 2024, making the country one of the most affected globally.
Idris added that these figures suggest potential underreporting or delays in case and contact entry, pointing to a gap between field surveillance activities and timely data entry into electronic systems.
He said: “The epidemic curve for the period demonstrates several peaks in both suspected and confirmed Mpox cases, highlighting a pattern of persistent transmission. The geographic distribution map for this period shows that nearly all states have reported suspected cases, with a significant concentration of confirmed cases occurring in the southern and central regions of the country.
“Since the beginning of 2025, Nigeria has continued to monitor and respond to Mpox outbreaks across the country through coordinated national surveillance efforts,” he said.
Idris explained that Nigeria, for some years, has not recorded Mpox fatality, adding that the three recorded were as a result pre-existing conditions of HIV and TB.
He lamented that some states see the disease as an embarrassment and as a result, do not report cases. Idris observed that the capacity of state laboratories has been strengthened to conduct appropriate testing and ship samples for confirmation to the NCDC National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and the Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) in Yaba, Lagos.
Highlighting measures taken to address the situation, the NCDC boss stated that five more Mpox laboratories have been optimised in five states (Bauchi, Kano, Cross River, Rivers and Enugu), adding that mentorship is being provided to improve sample management, handling, and result reporting.
He said: “Healthcare workers continue to receive targeted training in case management, including infection prevention and control (IPC), as well as hands-on workshops on lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) care best practices.
Idris disclosed that a mortality review meeting was being convened on the Mpox deaths in Abia, Ebonyi and Rivers states, stressing that these layered interventions aim to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to outbreaks, protect vulnerable populations, and reduce mortality.
He pointed out that community outreach is being reinforced while daily coordination with state health teams ensures timely adaptation of messages based on community feedback.
* Media Report