Monkeypox has spread from Nigeria's south-eastern Bayelsa State to the commercial capital, Lagos, and five other states, a senior health official has confirmed to BBC Pidgin's Daniel Semeniworima.
The outbreak first hit Bayelsa State, where 13 infected patients, among them are three adults and one child, were quarantined last week.
Other southern states now affected are Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River, the head of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said.
Monkeypox is a rare smallpox-like disease, which is not usually fatal to humans.
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