Akwa Ibom confirms eight Mpox cases, begins sensitisation

The National Orientation Agency in Akwa Ibom State has commenced a sensitisation exercise to educate the people on the prevalence and prevention of Mpox disease in the state.

This is coming as a report from the Ministry of Health indicated that Akwa Ibom State has recorded eight cases of the Mpox outbreak.

The Agency’s Coordinator in the state, Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, stated this while interacting with newsmen on activities of the agency in Uyo, the state capital on Monday.

Mkpoutom stated that the agency’s staff have been dispatched to the affected councils since last week after receiving instructions from the ministry in the state.

“I am sure that you are very much aware that Akwa Ibom is having the highest cases of Mpox right now as we speak. So, my people have been on the field since last week when we had the instruction from the Ministry of Health in partnership with Akwa Ibom State Agency on Health matters.

“Ten local governments are seriously affected, and one of the most affected local government areas are Uyo, Onna, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Ekpene. At least ten for now. The meaning is that in the whole federation, Akwa Ibom ranks high in Mpox disease

“Right now that’s what has been the problem in Akwa Ibom and we want everybody to be aware. For now, according to the Health sector, they don’t have curative for Mpox, they will only go through management and treatment,” he said.

While noting that in Onna LGA alone about six people were affected by the disease in one house, Mkpoutom called on the people of the state to report any such cases to the nearest medical center for treatment.

“We are asking people to please report cases of such. People should not think that it is ordinary rashes (Krokro) it is not. And the thing is easily spread. It is obtained from bush meat. Initially, it was ascribed to have been spread by monkeys but now after having conducted some level of research, we discovered that it is not spread by monkeys alone. It is even the rats that spread it. And when it gets into a man it spreads to the House.

“In Onna LGA, about six people were afflicted in one house and those six people unfortunately had to migrate to Uyo for some reason unknown before the NCDC was able to trace and get down here. I think you can see how the thing spread and Uyo now became the second place affected,” he added.

He disclosed further that the affected persons have been quarantined while contact tracing is still going on in the state.