The Kwara state government Thursday confirmed the first case of monkey pox involving a 29 year old Nigerian driver in the state.
The state’s commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Rasaq, broke the news in a statement in Ilorin, the state capital.
He said the victim had contact his wife and four neighbours where lives in Gbubu in edu local government area of kwara state.
The commissioner said the case was dectected following rigorous efforts of the surveillance and response team of the mnistry of Health that had been activated since the index case was reported in the country in March, 2022.
“The first confirmed case in Kwara State 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,” he added.
The commisssioner said there were contact with the wife and four neighbours of the victim with similar symptoms where he lives at Gbugbu in Edu local government area of the state, adding that: “All these 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. Currently, the patient is improving and stable in the ward.
“The government’s team has similarly begun health facility and community case search/contact tracing. The team will also intensify continuous public and community sensitisation on the disease and its symptoms for public education and control,” Rasaq stated.
The commisioner disclosed that there is also ongoing training and retraining of health workers to strengthen the state’s response to the development.
He urged members of the public to step up efforts at personal and community hygiene to fight the disease.
