Concerns over the lack of knowledge among Nigerians about dengue fever have been sparked by the reporting of thirteen cases in Sokoto State by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
Sokoto has 64 suspected cases reported across three LGAs, according to Monday’s official website of the NCDC.
An important public health concern, dengue fever (DENV) is a top mosquito-borne virus that has a broad geographic dissemination. It wasn’t until 1964 in Ibadan, Nigeria, that DENV serotypes 1 and 2 were first reported in Africa.
Before spreading to humans from monkeys in the middle of the twentieth century, the virus remained confined to Southeast Asia and Africa.
In Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, the Aedes aegypti mosquito thrives, spreading diseases like dengue, Zika, chikungunya (CHIKV), and West Nile.
There were no reported fatalities in Sokoto State when the outbreak was first identified in November 2023, according to the Nigerian Public Health Institute.
According to the FDA, most of the suspected cases involved individuals between the ages of 21 and 40.
The dengue virus is responsible for causing dengue fever, which is spread to people by biting by infected mosquitoes, according to the organization. It has not been proven that the virus can be transmitted from person to person.
Urban and semi-urban regions, as well as tropical and subtropical climates, are the most common habitats for this virus.
“In the first week or two after contracting dengue, the majority of patients report minimal to no symptoms and a full recovery.”
Mismob Media