By Amaechi Okwara
Asaba
Delta state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nichols Azinge, yesterday said 10 persons have been affected with monkey pox epidemic in the state. Th e commissioner, who stated this in Asaba, explained that out of the 10 cases, fi ve reported at FMC, Asaba, four were from OgwashiUku, Aniocha South LGA and one from Ibusa, Oshimili North LGA
Azinge said two had been treated and discharged having responded to treatments which was a pointer to the fact that the discharged cases were not monkey pox
He revealed that blood samples of suspected cases have been sent for Laboratory test in Darker, Senegal for confirmation and that until the test results are released, one cannot prove if they were monkey pox or not
Arinze equally embarked on a surveillance inspection to the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Oshimil South local government area and the General Hospital, Owa-Alero, Ika North-east local government area
He stated that “there is the need to visit hospitals handling patients who have similar symptoms of monkey pox with the view to getting fi rst-hand information on the cases and how the hospitals are coping
” Azinge acknowledged that only one of the cases has indications of monkey pox virus but have been quarantined while the tracking of the persons who may have been in contact with him is in earnest
He stated that the state Rapid Response Team was on ground and was prepared to tackle any outbreak of any form of disease, and reminded the health care givers to always follow the laid down protocol and how to attend to suspected cases
Azinge urged the public to desist from consuming rodents (squirrel, rabbit, rats etc) and primates (animals of the monkey family)
“Meats should be properly cooked before eating, regular and proper hand washing with soap, minimise contacts with persons with money pox virus, body fluids of suspected suffswerers are all prevention mechanism that should be adopted by all
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