By Okey Maduforo Awka
Determined to avert the contact and spread of the deadly Monkey Pox disease, the Anambra state government has set up an Emergency Response Team to monitor any suspected case of the disease.
This is coming as it has been confirmed that there are no reported case of the contract of the disease according to Health Informants and Disease Surveillance team in the state
According to the Commissioner for Health; Dr. Afam Ben Obidike the state is yet to record a confirmed case of Mpox adding that government is taking measures to ensure that Anambra state is not included among the states that have contacted it.
“Reecently the World Health Organisation declared Mpox to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEI)”
“However we in Anambra state have set up Emergency Response Team as well as Disease Surveillance team to monitor the situation and we have also commenced sensitization programs to inform our people about the disease and the preventive measures against the disease ”
“So far we have not recorded any case of the Monkey Pox and we are of the belief that with adequate measures put in place Anambra will not be listed among states that have contacted the disease ” he said.
MPox, formerly called monkey pox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
He said this while addressing newsmen in Awka: some states that border Anambra including Delta, Ebonyi, Abia have all recorded confirmed cases of the viral disease.
According to the Commissioner all the suspected cases whose samples were taken have all returned negative.
He said the state has introduced its emergency response teams since inception which has helped in early detection of outbreaks and early intervention.
