Uyo residents of Akwa Ibom State
were, weekend, gripped with apprehension after the state government
announced the outbreak of the dreaded Monkey Pox disease in the state,
making it the third state in the Niger Delta region, following earlier
reports of outbreak in Bayelsa and Rivers states.
Nigeria Natural Health Online www.kimekwu.blogspot.com has also reliably laernt that the authorities of Lagos State government has placed residents of the state on high alert in order to prevent the disease from coming into the city.
This came as the Federal Government described as fake and sinister
the report that the outbreak of Monkey Pox in some parts of the country
resulted from the alleged free medical care by the government in the
affected areas.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Information
and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Nigerians should disregard the
report which, apparently, was being spread by some unscrupulous persons
to fit into a sinister agenda.
He said: “The Federal Government has not conducted any free medical
service or care in either Bayelsa or Rivers state, as alleged in the
fake report being circulated. So that could not have been the cause of
the outbreak of Monkey Pox in both states.
“Monkey Pox is a virus found only in monkeys and it is rare in human
beings. It belongs to the same family as Chicken Pox and Smallpox. It is
suspected that someone may have contacted it by eating monkey meat,
thus triggering the current outbreak.”
He assured that no effort will be spared in curtailing the spread of the disease.
Akwa Ibom Commissioner
Meanwhile in Uyo, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, while
disclosing the outbreak during an interview with newsmen in Uyo, said
one case has already been confirmed and that the victim had been
isolated.
According to him, two other suspected cases were being monitored by
medical personnel, explaining that “the viral ailment is borne by wild
animals, especially Monkeys, and can be contacted through bodily contact
with infected persons.
Dr. Ukpong, while warning residents of Uyo to eschew bush meats, also
advised the people to take precautionary measures by imbibing personal
hygiene such as hand-washing, avoiding indiscriminate handshake and
physical contacts.
A resident and medical personnel in the metropolis, who craved
anonymity, expressed worry over the outbreak of the disease, saying that
government should wake up to arrest the situation by ensuring urgent
intervention in all aspects of healthcare delivery.
She said if urgent measures are taken, the outbreak can be controlled.
Information Commissioner
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh, has also
corroborated his Health counterpart by warning the residents to avoid
crowded places, as relevant agencies have been alerted to put adequate
medical measures in place to deal with emergencies.
He said: “We have recorded one confirmed case of Monkey Pox, while
two other cases are still under investigation. The good news is that all
these cases have been quarantined.
“Again, the blood samples of quarantined suspected cases have been
sent for confirmation. Confirmation requires the highest level of
laboratory sample test which is not available in the state.
“However, there is no cause for panic because the era of hand
sanitisers are here and there is nothing for anybody to panic. People
should wash their hands regularly, maintain the highest sanitary
condition as well as avoid eating bush meats.”
Emergency lines
Meanwhile, to arrest the spread of the viral Monkey Pox disease,
Bayelsa State Government has intensified efforts at public enlightenment
and civic engagement.
Therefore, the government called on residents of the state to report
all suspected cases of the disease by using the following hotlines,
08066987752 and 08035474676 to get the attention of its rapid response
team.
The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel
Iworiso-Markson, in a statement yesterday, said the swift sensitisation
campaign embarked upon by his ministry on radio with translations in all
the local dialects in the state will be sustained.
According to him, the ministry had commenced sensitisation campaign
and advocacy visits to communities in the state on the need to reassure
the people of government’s intervention and activities in curbing
further spread of the disease.
Victims’ recovery
While giving an update of the situation, he disclosed that the
government had stopped further spread of the disease, noting that out of
the number of those affected and quarantined at the Niger Delta
University Teaching Hospital, NDUTH, Okolobiri, many were already
showing signs of recovery.
Iworiso-Markson explained that two of the index cases and the doctor
affected by the disease had fully recovered and discharged, expressing
happiness that so far no death had been recorded.
According to him, “to further allay the fears and reassure Bayelsans
of governments’ effort in curbing the disease, let me make it clear that
we are on top of the situation. However, it is important for people to
take note of the fact that prevention is better than cure.
“Hence, they are required to always wash their hands, avoid monkeys,
bush meat and dead animals as well as be on the lookout for symptoms,
which often manifests as various stages of rash and an intense weakness
of the body, severe pains, among other things.”
Resident abandon bush meat
Meanwhile, the fear of the disease has forced many residents to shun bush meat consumption.
Though the government has said it has contained the spread of the
disease, bush meat vendors said people have stopped patronising them
since the outbreak of Monkey Pox.
Akpan Jones, a bush meat seller along the Onuebum-Otuokpoti Road in
Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, lamented that sales have been
poor in the last couple of days.
His words: “I was happy when I heard on radio that the disease has
been contained, but people have continued to avoid buying bush meat. I
believe they are afraid because of the government warning that monkeys
and other bush meat consumption should be avoided for now.
“Pictures of persons said to be infected with Monkey Pox disease being circulated on internet are also discouraging them.
“I don’t know how long I have to wait until the problem is over. I
have to return to my old palm tapping business to cater for my family.”
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