3 months ago
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The Adamawa State Government has deployed over 226 disease surveillance notification officers to villages in the 21 local government areas to monitor and contain the spread of Mpox, the disease that is ravaging some states in the country.
The Commissioner for Health, Chief Felix Tangwami, who spoke with Arewa PUNCH exclusively on Tuesday, said that the decision to deploy the disease surveillance notification officers to the villages is to ensure that mpox is caged at the early stage if discovered in the state.
He said that his ministry is fully prepared to handle any disease outbreak in the state, pointing out that several mobile clinic outlets have been established in areas that suffered flooding to ensure that those victims in Internally Displaced Camps are protected from diseases.
“We managed the spread of lassa fever very well in the state when it was discovered in some local governments, so we are also prepared to handle mpox or any other disease outbreak in the state,” he assured.
Tangwami educated that mpox can be transmitted from human-to human through body contact, body fluids, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials such as bedding or clothes.
“Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen lymph, noises chills and exhaustion,” the health commissioner stressed.
He added, “Once fever has appeared, a rash tends to erupt, concentrated on the face, hands, and feet before spreading to other areas of the body,” he further noted.”
Tangwami pointed out that rashes are seen in many other diseases, such as chickenpox and measles. Therefore, diagnosis must be carried out to identify the exact disease.
Meanwhile, Arewa PUNCH’s investigation revealed that mpox was first discovered in 1958 as the outbreak of a disease causing a pox was discovered in monkeys held in captivity for research.
Mpox was first seen in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Further investigations reveal that the mpox first case was recorded on May 7, 2022, in the United Kingdom by a traveller returning from Nigeria.
Tangwami pointed out that mpox vaccines are not developed yet but that it can be treated if discovered at the early stage.
Tangwami thus urged Adamawa residents to contact any of the clinic facilities nearest to them if they are having persistent fever for testing.
He disclosed that the ministry has deployed another set of health workers in villages to educate ruler dwellers on waterborne diseases and how to avoid contracting diseases associated with dirty water.
