Kwara Records First Confirmed Case of Monkey Pox

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Kwara State Government has announced that it has recorded the first case of monkey pox disease in the state.

The Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Raji Rasaq, declared this in Ilorin in a public statement he issued yesterday. 

The statement reads: “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.

“There were contact 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 patient has been on admission in the last one week because of suspicion of monkey pox and has also been under strict monitoring by the surveillance and clinical team.”

Rasaq added that “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.”

The statement noted further that “there is also ongoing training and retraining of health workers to strengthen our response to the development.

“The Ministry of Health is also notifying the appropriate agencies, especially the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, of the development.

“Members of the public are implored to step up efforts at personal and community hygiene as we work together to fight this disease.