THE Edo State Ministry of Health has revealed that eight persons have tested positive for monkeypox in the state, urging residents to observe safety measures to reduce the spread of the virus and other infectious diseases.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akoria Obehi, who disclosed this to journalists in Benin City, said the ministry has ramped up surveillance and other activities to curb the spread of infectious diseases.
She, however, noted that all those who were diagnosed with the disease have recovered.
“Amid the rise in the number of confirmed cases of monkeypox in Edo, it has become imperative to warn about the health risks that the virus poses and reiterate the need for residents to be cautious and adhere to safety measures,” Obehi said.
The commissioner highlighted symptoms of monkeypox to include fever, headache, and weakness of the body, sore throat, and enlargement of glands under the jaw and in the neck.
While advising on measures to contain the disease, she noted, “Avoid contact with dead or life wild animals such as small mammals including rodents (rats, squirrels) and non-human primates (monkeys, apes).
Restating the government’s commitment to containing the outbreak and protecting the health of residents, the Edo Health Commissioner said that the State Disease Surveillance Team has been deployed to control the outbreak in the state, alongside the engagement of stakeholders across the state’s 18 Local Government Areas.
