Anambra State has announced their first positive of monkey pox, after testing two patients.
This was confirmed by Dr Afam Obidike, the state’s Commissioner for Health, when he spoke to newsmen in Awka, the State Capital, on Thursday.
Mr. Obidike said the State has been on red-alert since they heard of the virus’s presence in other States in Nigeria.
He also said the State has trained health personnels to deal with the task.
“Few weeks ago, two suspected cases of monkeypox were reported in Anambra East, Onitsha and Oyi Local Government Areas (LGAs), out of which the case from Anambra East LGA was confirmed positive.
“The case is currently at the isolation centre of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, where he is receiving treatment and recovering.
“In light of the above, Gov. Charles Soludo immediately declared the incident an outbreak and an emergency preparedness and response committee meeting was convened on Wednesday.
“The meeting was attended by relevant stakeholders including the World Health Organisation (WHO) team and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). They are providing necessary assistance to the state.
“Planning for immediate response to the outbreak and surveillance, laboratory, case management, risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control and safe burial pillars, were activated,” he said.
But what is Monkey Pox?
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients.
Monkeypox is an orthopoxvirus, while chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes shingles. Both virus can spread through close contact through respiratory droplets and direct contact with skin lesions and recently contaminated objects.
Routes of monkeypox virus transmission include human-to-human via direct contact with infectious skin or mucocutaneous lesions, respiratory droplets (and possibly short-range aerosols) or indirect contact from contaminated objects or materials, also described as fomite transmission.
