From: Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Government has dismissed as ‘unfounded’ reports of fresh outbreak of Monkey Pox in the state.

The state government reiterated its declaration that it has curtailed the spread of the virus in the state as there are no fresh cases.

Fears had heightened over the weekend when results released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) listed Bayelsa State as one of the states with two new cases of Monkey Pox.

However, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimula Etebu, reacting to the report, allayed the fears of Bayelsans explaining that the two cases mentioned by WHO were among the lab tests sent to WHO laboratory in Dakar, Senegal in September.

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According to him the results are being released in batches and the results of two tests from Bayelsa were among the previous one sent by the medical officials at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH).

Etebu who stated that most of the patients admitted at the isolation facility at the NDUTH have been discharged urged Bayelsans to continue to maintain healthy hygiene procedures.

“The additional two positive results, though not a new outbreak, will bring the total recorded cases in the state to five. WHO in September confirmed three cases of monkey pox disease in Bayelsa. I can tell you that many of the patients being monitored and given care at the isolation centre have been discharged. But the situation is dynamic and the number keeps changing; I have not looked at the data for yesterday and may not give you information that is accurate”.