Lagos activates emergency centre amid rising Mpox concerns

Lagos State Government on Tuesday announced a series of public health initiatives, including an emergency operations centre to prevent the spread of mpox virus.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, outlined the state’s multipronged strategy to shield Lagos from this emerging threat.

In a statement, the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Health, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, commissioner Abayomi announced three significant milestones as part of Lagos State’s public health strategy against Mpox.

The first is a stakeholder engagement involving experts from various sectors to discuss Mpox and its management, locally and globally.

The second milestone is the activation of an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) dedicated to monitoring and addressing the Mpox outbreak, with a focus on the Clade 1B variant.

The third milestone is the launch of a statewide public health awareness campaign aimed at educating residents about the risks associated with Mpox and preventive measures they can take.

The commissioner emphasized the current concern over the Clade 1B variant, which is rapidly spreading across Central Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and has now reached neighboring countries like Cameroon, Rwanda, and Burundi.

“This variant is distinct from the indigenous Clade 2 variant, which has been detected sporadically in West Africa. Although Lagos has no active cases at present, however, the risk posed by the more aggressive Clade 1B variant remains a significant concern due to Lagos’s extensive travel connections.

“The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak in the DRC a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, highlighting the need for a coordinated global response,” he said.

Abayomi noted that Lagos State is taking proactive steps, drawing on its experience with past health crises like Ebola, COVID-19, cholera, and Lassa fever.

According to him, these measures aim to prevent the introduction of the Clade 1B variant into Lagos, which could have severe health and economic implications.

The commissioner explained that Mpox, like smallpox and cowpox, is a zoonotic disease that initially spreads from animals to humans, particularly through rodents and monkeys. Human-to-human transmission occurs through close contact, with the Clade 1B variant showing a higher transmission rate, especially through sexual contact.

Abayomi warned that while there are currently no active Mpox cases in Lagos, the state must remain vigilant against the potential importation of this aggressive variant.

He disclosed that a mini-symposium on Mpox which was held before the media briefing, featured insights from global health experts, including representatives from WHO, UNICEF, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), LUTH and LASUTH.

“These experts discussed the risks posed by the Clade 1B variant to Lagos and the steps needed to create a biological shield against the virus. The collective goal is to ensure that Lagos is fully prepared to manage any potential outbreak and minimize its impact”, Abayomi said.

The Commissioner urged the public and healthcare providers to be vigilant and prepared to recognize, diagnose, and manage Mpox cases effectively.