6th September, 2024
By Sunday Bassey
The Akwa Ibom State Government has confirmed five cases of Mpox, according to Mr. Samuel Etuk, the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer.
In an interview on Friday, Etuk revealed that the latest case brings the total number of confirmed cases to five.
He noted that four cases were previously confirmed after the state collected 30 samples from various local government areas for testing, with four of those testing positive.
“Of the four confirmed cases, three are male, and one is female, aged two, four, 12, and 41 years, respectively,” Etuk said.
He explained that this confirmation was made in collaboration with Breakthrough Action Nigeria and the Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme.
Etuk further disclosed that contact tracing was ongoing, and those affected had been isolated to prevent further spread.
He added that 10 community-based informants had been engaged to monitor at-risk areas and report any new cases to health officials.
He outlined how Mpox can be transmitted, including through urine, faeces, blood, sexual contact, broken skin, and contact with the eyes, nose, mouth, skin lesions, and oral secretions.
Symptoms of the disease include headache, swollen lymph nodes, fever, back and muscle pain, fatigue, and a rash that typically starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body, such as the palms and soles.
Etuk advised the public to take preventive measures such as avoiding contact with infected individuals or animals, washing hands regularly, using hand sanitisers, and wearing protective clothing and gloves when handling suspected cases.
He encouraged anyone with suspected symptoms to report to the nearest health facility or contact the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). NAN
