Edo State has reported three suspected cases of Mpox, according to the Director of Public Health at the Edo State Ministry of Health, Stephenson Ojeifo.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday evening, Ojeifo, a medical doctor, confirmed that while the cases are not yet confirmed, residents should remain vigilant.
“We have three suspected cases of Mpox; two patients are in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, and one is at the Edo State University Teaching Hospital, Auchi,” Ojeifo said.
He explained that Mpox symptoms can resemble other skin rashes, so the ministry is taking extra precautions by isolating the suspected cases to ensure proper management.
“We make sure that any suspected case is isolated, while we send samples to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja for testing. So, until the results of the tests are out, we cannot say we have any case of Mpox,” Ojeifo added.
Ojeifo assured the public that the patients are not in critical condition but are being isolated as part of the state’s enhanced surveillance efforts. He also mentioned that the ministry has strengthened its surveillance across the state’s private, public, and primary healthcare centers.
“The ministry is also working with local government health educators to raise public awareness about the symptoms of Mpox,” he said.
While Edo State has dealt with cases of Monkeypox in the past, Ojeifo noted that the current situation is being taken more seriously in line with alerts from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centre for Disease Control. “We have had pockets of cases of Mpox in Edo in the past and we have always managed them and they get well,” he said.
Mpox is a viral disease that spreads primarily through close contact with an infected person or animal, or by touching contaminated objects. It can cause serious complications, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems, but most cases are mild and recover without treatment.
The disease is characterized by flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a distinctive rash that develops into small, fluid-filled blisters and eventually forms scabs.
To prevent infection, it is important to practice regular hand hygiene, disinfect surfaces, manage waste properly, and follow respiratory hygiene practices like covering coughs and sneezes and using masks in crowded areas.
