By Hammed Shittu Ilorin and James Sowole in Akure
The Kwara State Government yesterday declared that there was no single case of suspected monkey pox disease in the state.
This came as the Ondo State Government urged residents of the state not to panic as measures had been put in place to check spread of the disease to the state.
The government, however, said it had put in place all necessary and precautionary measures to prevent the disease from penetrating into the state more so that about seven states of the federation including Ekiti that shares boundary with Kwara have suspected and confirmed cases of the disease.
The acting Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Oluwatosin Fakayode made this clarification in Ilorin, the state capital, while speaking with journalists on the state of health development in the state.
He said the ministry through its disease surveillance and notification officers have been put on alert in case of any suspected outbreak of the disease.
He also stated that various enlightenment programmes involving traditional and spiritual leaders have begun in the sensitisation of members of the public on the need to cook their food properly before consumption.
The medical practitioner warned that those eating uncooked food are at the risk of having the virus and stressed the need for people to avoid body contact with those that already have the disease or contact with monkeys and other animals.
He explained that some of the basic symptoms of the disease are fever, general weakness of the body, vomiting and after few days, rashes in the entire part of the body and therefore called for immediate medical attention in case of any suspected cases.
He noted that monkey pox is a milder form of small pox but disclosed that small pox had since been eradicated through vaccines while monkey pox is yet to got any specific vaccine or drugs to treat the disease except for good supportive treatment but added that no case of death has been recorded since its outbreak in Bayelsa State.
On the recent distribution of insecticide nets in the state, Fakayode disclosed that about two million lasting insecticide nets had so far been distributed across the 16 local government areas of the state since to state government began the distribution exercise.
According to him, the government has achieved about 90 per cent of its target and assured that the entire house holds in the state would be covered as the project is ongoing.
Fakayode expressed surprise that some families rejected the offer and appealed to all those that have been provided the nets to make good use of them stressing that malaria is number one killer disease particularly among under five children and pregnant women.
He disclosed that the state government is working towards having a malaria free Kwara and therefore stressed the need for environmental manipulation by keeping a clean environment.Â
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government has advised residents of the state not to panic as measures had been put in place to check spread of the disease to the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, stated this in a statement signed by the Press Officer in the Ministry of Health, Abooluwa Famakinwa.
Adegbenro said the government was combat ready and on top of the situation as its Emergency Preparedness and Surveillance teams both at the state and local government levels have swung into action.
According to him, other proactive measures put in place include provision of isolation wards in all the specialist hospitals in the state, large scale sensitisation and public enlightenment in print, electronic and social media among others.
The commissioner said though there are reported cases in neighbouring states, Ondo Statewas still free of it thus there is no cause for alarm.
Adegbenro said the infection is transmitted by monkeys, squirrels and other animals and in the same class as chicken and small pox.
He disclosed that monkey pox was first discovered in the Republic of Congo after the elimination of small pox and that it was not as bad as the old small pox or ebola.
Some of its symptoms according to him include: severe headache, fever, sore throat, body and back ache as well as rashes all over the body.
He added that incubation period for the infection is between six to 16 days and its antidote is personal and environmental hygiene.
The commissioner advised residents to abstain from bush meat for now and to ensure that meats are thoroughly cooked before eating and be watchful so that any suspected case is immediately reported to the nearest hospital.
