Breaking news: Monkey pox now in Lagos

Monkey pox, which started with an index 


case in Bayelsa on September 22, has 


spread to six other states, including 


Lagos. There are 31 cases, the National 


Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said 


yesterday.

Monkey pox  Jomo Pictures jomotv

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NCDC National Coordinator/Chief 


Executive Officer Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu 


listed the states as Bayelsa, Rivers, Ekiti, 


 Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Cross River.

He said samples had been collected 


from


each suspected case for laboratory 


confirmation. Said Ihekweazu: “It is 


unlikely that many of the suspected 


cases are actually monkey pox, but all 


are 


being investigated.”

He said all the suspected cases were 


receiving medical care and the patients 


improving clinically in their various 


states. Ihekweazu said the centre had 


activated an Emergency Operation 


Centre 


(EOC) to coordinate the outbreak 


investigation and response across the 


affected states.

“The EOC is currently supporting state 


ministries of Health in their response to 


the outbreak through active case finding, 


epidemiological investigation and 


contact 

tracing.

Measures have been put in place to 


ensure effective sample collection and 


testing to enable laboratory 


confirmation. 


Risk communication activities have been 


heightened to advise the public on 


preventive measures. All 36 states and 


the FCT have been notified for 


preparedness,” he explained.

The Lagos State Government confirmed 


yesterday that it had recorded two 


suspected cases and appealed to 


residents to remain calm and vigilant.

Commissioner for Health Dr. Jide Idris 


told reporters that the two suspected 


cases were being investigated.

“Though no confirmed case has been 


recorded, there is need to sensitise 


members of the public and provide 


adequate information on measures for 


prevention and control of the disease in 


line with the policy of the state 


government,” he said.

Idris said the two suspected cases were 


recorded in a private hospital which he 


did not name. He added that one of the 


suspected cases just came from Bayelsa 


State and ate bush meat.

Idris said the two suspected cases had 


been quarantined in their various houses 


pending the result of the investigation.

The commissioner said in the wake of 


this outbreak, the government was 


reiterating the need for members of the 


public to observe and maintain a high 


standard of personal and environmental 


hygiene at all times as part of the 


precautionary measures to prevent the 


spread of the disease to the State.

He urged the public to be vigilant and 


report any suspected case of the disease 


to the nearest public health facility or the 


Directorate of Disease Control in the 


Ministry of Health.

“Also, health workers are advised to 


practise universal safety precautions in 


the management of suspected or 


confirmed cases, wear appropriate 


Personal Protective Equipment when 


attending to cases, wash hands after 


each contact with patient or 


contaminated materials while 


surveillance system must be 


strengthened.

“The state government has mobilised the 


Disease Surveillance Officers in the 57 


LGAs and LCDAs in the state and health 


workers in both public and private health 


facilities have been placed on high alert,” 


Idris said.

I

dris called on residents to remain calm 


and go about their businesses without 


fear as the government had put in place 


adequate measures to effectively 


prevent 


and control the spread of the infection to 


the state.

“In case of any suspected case of 


Monkey Pox, the Lagos State Ministry of 


Health should be notified through the 


following mobile like 


Ines: 08037170614,09087106072,” the 


commissioner said.