Nigeria Has Highest Monkeypox Cases, Deaths In Africa- WHO

Nigeria has recorded the highest monkey pox death and confirmed cases in Africa.

This was revealed by the World Health Organisation Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, during a virtual press briefing tagged, ‘Road to defeating Meningitis by 2030.” She said the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana followed Nigeria

She said:, “For monkeypox, there are now 524 confirmed cases and 12 deaths across 11 African countries.

“Of the 12 deaths, six occurred in Nigeria, four in Ghana, and two in the Central African Republic.

“Although no single monkeypox vaccine has been administered to any high-risk group in any of the African countries reporting cases, WHO has provided 39,000 test kits to countries, enabling improved testing rates.

It had been earlier reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control that the exact reservoir of monkeypox is unknown.

Data earlier disclosed  from the NCDC showed that as of August 14, there were 530 suspected cases with 220 confirmed cases in the country.