By Dare Akogun
THE Kwara State Government has confirmed the first case of monkeypox disease in the state.
A statement issued in Ilorin on Thursday by Commissioner for Health Raji Razaq said the detection of the case followed rigorous efforts made by the Surveillance and Response Team that was activated by the state government since the index case was reported in the country in March.
“The first confirmed case in Kwara State is 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.
“There were contacts with the wife and four neighbours with similar symptoms where he lives at Gbugbu in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, all of which have been resolved by the health team,” the statement said.
The commissioner said the patient has been on admission in the last one week because of suspicion of monkeypox.
He added that the patient, who was not named, has 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 sensitization on the disease and its symptoms for public education and control. There is also ongoing training and retraining of health workers to strengthen our response to the development,” the statement added.
Razaq, who said the ministry has notified the appropriate agencies, especially the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), of the development, implored members of the public to support the government in fighting the disease by stepping up efforts at personal and community hygiene.