Suspected case of monkeypox recorded in northwest Nigeria

Nigeria’s north west state of Kano has recorded a suspected case of monkeypox adding to the dozens found in 11 other states.

The Kano State Commissioner for Health Dr Kabul Getso confirmed to the media on Saturday that the victim showed one of the symptoms of the disease which is yet to be verified.

“The Kano case from Bebeji Local Government is yet to be confirmed. The blood sampling will take three weeks before it is ready … The State also identified 60 people who had contacts with the victims and all of them have been quarantined,” he was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria.

Eleven states in Nigeria have been affected by suspected cases of monkeypox with 94 victims recorded. Six of the cases have been confirmed to be the rare fatal disease, said Dr Getso.

The State also identified 60 people who had contacts with the victims and all of them have been quarantined.

The first case was reported on September 22 in Bayelsa State before it spread to neighbouring states.

The monkeypox virus is transmitted to people from various wild animals but has limited secondary spread through human-to-human transmission.

It can cause a fatal illness. There is no treatment or vaccine available although prior smallpox vaccination was highly effective in preventing monkeypox as well, says WHO.

The disease occurs primarily in remote parts of Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.