Nigeria records 1st monkeypox death in 2022

One person has died of monkeypox in Nigeria with 21 virus cases confirmed so far, according to the country's public health agency.

In a statement on Sunday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said "the death was reported in a 40-year-old patient who had underlying co-morbidity and was on immunosuppressive medications."

The confirmed cases have been reported from nine states and the federal capital territory, it added.

"Among the 21 cases reported in 2022 so far, there has been no evidence of any new or unusual transmission of the virus, nor changes in its clinical manifestation documented (including symptoms, profile and virulence)," it said.

Symptoms of the zoonotic disease include sudden fever, headache, body pain, weakness and sore throat followed by the appearance of a rash on the face, palms, soles of the feet, genitals and other parts of the body.

Patients are advised to be in isolation throughout the duration of the disease, which can last until three to four weeks.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 200 cases of monkeypox have been reported in more than 20 countries. A senior health official said the epidemic is "containable" and there is no need for mass vaccinations.