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NCDC confirms monkeypox case in UK with travel history to Nigeria

By Chukwuma Muanya (Lagos) and Nkechi Onyedika-Ugoeze (Abuja)
13 May 2022   |   4:03 am
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), yesterday, said it has been officially notified by United Kingdom (UK) authorities of a confirmed case of monkeypox with a connection to Nigeria.

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), yesterday, said it has been officially notified by United Kingdom (UK) authorities of a confirmed case of monkeypox with a connection to Nigeria.

The NCDC, in a statement, said: “We would like to provide some more details about this case. On May 7, 2022, NCDC was notified by the UK International Health Regulations’ (IHR) national focal point of a case of monkeypox detected in a patient with recent travel history to Nigeria.

“The individual is a UK resident who arrived in Nigeria on April 20, 2022, travelled to Lagos and Delta States during the time spent in Nigeria, departed Lagos on May 3, 2022 and arrived in the UK on May 4, 2022.”

“While in Nigeria, the case did not report being in contact with anyone with symptoms of monkeypox or other illness with rash. The diagnosis of monkeypox (West African clade) was confirmed by PCR in the UK on May 6, 2022. The patient is currently stable and receiving care in the UK.”

NCDC said it was investigating the incident, in collaboration with the Lagos and Delta State Ministries of Health. It said, in addition, the Monkeypox Technical Working Group, comprising Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), US Centres for Disease Control (US CDC) and coordinated by the NCDC, is collaborating to strengthen in-country capacity to prevent, detect and respond to monkeypox cases in the country.

According to NCDC, since the re-emergence of monkeypox in Nigeria in September 2017, the country has continued to record sporadic cases of the disease from states across the country. Between September 2017 and April 30, 2022, a total of 558 cases and eight deaths have been confirmed from 22 states.

“Of these, 15 cases have been confirmed in 2022 alone – this does NOT constitute an outbreak. The highest number of cases have been reported from states in the South South region of Nigeria,” it noted.

The Centre reassured Nigerians of its capacity to effectively diagnose and respond to cases of monkeypox.

“The National Reference Laboratory (NRL) in Abuja has the capacity to test for cases of monkeypox with a quick turn-around time,” it noted.

NCDC urged anyone who has fluid-filled body rashes (vesicular rash), enlargement of glands and other symptoms of monkeypox stated below to report to any public health facility nearby for proper diagnosis and care. It said any healthcare worker that suspects a case of monkeypox, should reach out to Local Government Area (LGA) Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers or State Ministry of Health (Epidemiology team) for appropriate guidance and action.

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