As Mpox cases surge in Africa, with 35,525 cases and 996 deaths reported as of 8 October in 14 countries, including Nigeria, PREMIUM TIMES sat down with Eduardo Celades, the Chief of Public Health for UNICEF Nigeria, to discuss the Mpox outbreak, its impact on children, vaccine hesitancy, other major health concerns, and the Nigerian health sector.
PT: There’s a global outbreak of Mpox, particularly in Africa, and children are amongst the group most vulnerable to this disease. Nigeria has also recorded several suspected and confirmed cases. How vulnerable are children in Nigeria to this virus?
Celades: First, it’s important to understand how Mpox is transmitted. Mpox is very easily transmitted with close contact. Close contact with fluids, sweat, changing linen, or taking care of the rash or sores that an infected person can have. When a person with Mpox is not isolated, it can easily transmit to close contacts. That’s why we see a lot of transmission at the household level. If one person has Mpox, other members of the family are likely to be infected.
