Edo State has officially declared a dengue fever outbreak with 86 confirmed cases spreading across multiple local government areas.
Health Commissioner Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole broke the news during an emergency briefing in Benin City on Friday.
Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration has activated full emergency measures, appointing Dr. Stephenson Ojiefoh as incident manager to lead containment efforts. The state’s Emergency Operation Centre is now coordinating a multi-pronged attack against the mosquito-borne disease.
“We’re implementing aggressive surveillance, improved case management and intensive vector control,” Oshiomhole told reporters. Teams are conducting emergency sanitation exercises in affected communities while health workers receive special training on identifying and treating dengue cases.
The response effort brings together state health officials, federal disease control experts from NCDC, international partners from CDC, and local surveillance teams. Health authorities are particularly concerned about preventing further spread during current rainy season conditions that favor mosquito breeding.
Residents reported sudden high fevers, severe headaches and joint pains – classic dengue symptoms – in what initially appeared as isolated cases before the pattern emerged. The state government has deployed additional medical supplies to hospitals in hotspot areas while launching public awareness campaigns about eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed.
