Statistics from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reveal a concerning trend: a significant rise in Mpox infections among males in Nigeria.
As of January 2024, 67 percent of Mpox cases have been reported in men, highlighting a pronounced gender disparity in the disease’s impact.
Since the first confirmed cases in September 2017, men have accounted for approximately 70 percent of the total 6,001 suspected and confirmed Mpox cases.
The latest figures indicate that there have been 1,031 suspected cases across 47 local government areas in 23 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, with 67 confirmed cases in 2024 alone.
Age distribution data shows that the most affected group is children under five, followed by individuals aged 26-30 and 46-50. Alarmingly, while no fatalities have been recorded from the disease in 2024, the previous two years saw two and seven deaths in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, manifests with symptoms such as a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. Although many individuals recover fully, some may experience severe illness. The disease can spread from animals to humans, as well as through close human contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated surfaces.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared Mpox a global public health emergency, underscoring its widespread impact. While the Democratic Republic of Congo remains the epicenter of the outbreak in Africa, cases have emerged in at least 14 other African countries.
In a bid to control the outbreak, the WHO has approved the MVA-BN vaccine as the first Mpox vaccine to be added to its prequalification list.
Recently, Nigeria received a donation of 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine from the United States government to aid in the fight against Mpox.
