The World Health Organization (WHO) advised nations on Thursday to increase readiness and vigilance in order to stop the spread of monkeypox.
The group noted that 3,200 cases had been confirmed across 48 countries, and that Nigeria was one of the nations where cases of the sickness had been documented.
In his opening remarks to the organization’s emerging committee, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus emphasised that women in Nigeria were more adversely affected than anywhere else in the world.
Tedros mentioned sexual interactions as one of the causes of the disease’s outbreak in recently afflicted nations.
He said that across Central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Cameroon, more than 1,500 cases of the illness and around 70 fatalities had been recorded.
Therefore, he urged taking aggressive measures to stop the infectious disease’s further spread.
“Few of these cases are confirmed, and little is known about their circumstances. While the epidemiology and viral clade in these cases may be different, it is a situation that cannot be ignored. We have sometimes seen the consequences of countries not being transparent, of not sharing information.
“In Nigeria, the proportion of women affected is much higher than elsewhere. It is critical to better understand how the disease is spreading there.
“All countries have to remain vigilant and strengthen their capacities to prevent onward transmission of monkey pox . It is likely that many countries will have missed opportunities to identify cases, including cases in the community without any recent travel.
“We also need to work together as an international community to generate the necessary clinical efficacy and safety data on vaccines and therapeutics against monkeypox and ensure their equitable distribution”.
