Kwara State, yesterday recorded its first case of monkey pox, said the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Raji Abdulrasaq.
The commissioner stated in Ilorin that the confirmation followed rigorous efforts of the surveillance and response team that had been activated since March 2022.
His words: “The first confirmed case in Kwara involves a 29-year-old Nigerian driver, who developed symptoms of fever, generalised rash and weakness in the last two weeks, and had been under our surveillance.
“There were contacts with the wife and four neighbors with similar symptoms where he lives at Gbugbu in Edu Local Council of Kwara, all of which have been resolved by the health team.
The patient has been on admission in the last one week because of suspicion of monkey pox. He has also been under strict monitoring by the surveillance and clinical team.
The patient is improving and stable in the ward, and the government’s team has similarly begun health facility and community case search/contact tracing.
Abdulrasaq added: “The team will intensify continuous public and community sensitisation on the disease and its symptoms for public education and control.
There is also ongoing training and re-training of health workers to strengthen our response to the development.
“The Ministry of Health is also notifying the appropriate agencies, especially the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), of the development.
Members of the public are implored to step up efforts at personal and community hygiene as we work together to fight this disease.”