From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole briefed the Federal Executive Council on public health challenges, including recent outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera, yellow fever and the latest, suspected monkey pox, saying that further tests were ongoing in Senegal to confirm if what is spreading across the country, is actually monkey pox.
“We have recorded 33 suspected cases in all from Bayelsa, Rivers, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun and Cross River States. What is particularly significant is that many of the cases so far reported do not fit into the classic prototype of monkey pox, but we are trying to confirm before the end of today (yesterday) or early tomorrow (today) exactly what we are dealing with.”
He advised Nigerians not to panic but to observe basic hygiene practices like regular washing of hands, avoiding contact with dead animals, maintaining clean environment and for health workers to maintain “barrier nursing’ while managing suspected cases.
He also said Emergency Operations Centre has been activated to coordinate response to suspected outbreak of monkeypox.
Meanwhile, five victims of the virus have been discharged from the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Bayelsa State.
The Chief Medical Director, Prof. Dimie Ogoina reportedly gave the order for their discharge, after a full evaluation carried out confirmed that the treatment had been successful.
Commissioner of Information, Daniel Iworiso-Markson who confirmed the ‘release’ of the five patients said the days of monkey pox in Bayelsa were numbered.
Two index case patients and a medical doctor who got infected in the course of treating patients were earlier discharged.