Akwa Ibom ministry of health has confirmed one case of monkeypox diagnosed in the state. However, the government urged residents not to panic.
Speaking to the press in Uyo on Sunday, the Commissioner for Health Prof Austin Umoh said the only case discovered in the state was external as the patient came in from another state.
He added that monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 and had spread to other countries in the world including Europe and America.
Monkeypox
The commissioner clarified that the spread of the disease is not as fast as covid 19 which caused a pandemic. He said that
the World Health Organization had declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern.
”In Akwa Ibom state, we had someone who came in from outside the state and his test revealed that he was infected with monkeypox. So that one case was external to us but was diagnosed Akwa in Akwa Ibom”
The commissioner of health directed all residents to report all incidents of Monkey Pox to the nearest health facilities in the state for urgent medical attention.
” Monkeypox does not spread fast like covid 19 but it is necessary to report such incidents for quick intervention by health workers.
“Although we have not noticed any internal of monkeypox except the one we diagnosed from a visitor who came into the state, we must be watchful,” he said.
READ MORE: Monkeypox: Philippines Reports First Case Of The Infection
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), yesterday, confirmed 15 new confirmed positive cases of monkeypox in Epi Week 29 from 10 states – Ondo (three); Taraba (two); Lagos (two); Bayelsa (two); Rivers (one); Kogi (one); Imo (one); Delta (one); Anambra (one) and Abia (one).
Latest Update on Monkeypox in Nigeria published by the center showed that there were 19 new suspected cases reported in the week under review, spanning July 18 to 24, from 12 states, namely Ondo (four); Bayelsa (three); Taraba (two); Lagos (two); Rivers (one); Kogi (one); Kano (one); Imo (one); Delta (one); Anambra (one); Akwa Ibom (one) and Abia (one).
It noted: “From January 1 to July 24, 2022, there have (89 males, 44 females) from 26 states – Lagos, 17; Adamawa, 11; Delta, 11; Rivers, 10; Bayelsa, 10; Ondo, nine and Edo, eight.
Others are Nasarawa (seven); Plateau (six); Federal Capital Territory (five); Anambra (five); Taraba (five); Imo (four); Cross River (three); Kwara (three); Borno (three); Oyo (three) and Kano (two), Katsina (two), Gombe (two), Kogi (two), Niger (one).
The rest consists of Ogun (one); Bauchi (one); Akwa Ibom (one) and Abia (one).
Three deaths were recorded from three states – Delta (one); Lagos (one) and Ondo (one). Overall, since the re-emergence of monkeypox in September 2017 and up to July 24, 2022, a total of 869 suspected cases have been reported from 35 states”.
The centre continued: “Of these 869 suspected cases, there have been 359 (41.3 per cent) confirmed (237 males, 122 females) from 30 states – Rivers (62); Bayelsa (53); Lagos (47); Delta (40); Edo (18); Cross River (17); Imo (12); FCT (11); Adamawa (11); Ondo (nine); Nasarawa (nine); Oyo (nine); Plateau (nine); Akwa Ibom (eight); Anambra (seven); Taraba (five); Enugu (four); Abia (four); Kwara (three); Borno (three); Benue (two); Ekiti (two); Kano (two); Niger (two); Ogun (two); Katsina (two); Gombe (two); Kogi (two); Ebonyi (one) and Bauchi (one).
In addition, from September 2017 to July 24, 2022, a total of eleven (11) deaths have been recorded (CFR= 3.0 per cent) in eight states – Lagos (three); Edo (two); Imo (one); Cross River (one); FCT (one); Rivers (one), Undo (one) and Delta (one).
The ongoing efforts to strengthen surveillance at national and sub-national levels increased awareness from global news headlines and our investments in risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) have contributed in part or whole to this observed increase in cases, which we have seen this year. The NCDC will continue to monitor the situation even as we sustain ongoing response efforts.”
