No fewer than 10 persons in four of the 23 local government areas in Benue State have tested positive to monkeypox.
The state epidemiologist, Dr Terungwa Ngishe, disclosed this to LEADERSHIP in Makurdi, the state capital. He said the samples of 23 suspected persons were taken to the laboratory for diagnosis, of which 10 were positive of the disease.
Ngishe named the affected councils to include Makurdi, Gwer-West, Oju, and Obi local government areas.
He said, “We are doing active case search and as well engage in risk communication and awareness creation in the four affected LGs and the remaining 19 LGs to curb the spread of the disease.”
Ngishe lamented that even though some of the patients have been treated and discharged, there is need to do more work because if out of 22 suspected cases of Monkeypox, 10 are positive, this simply means that it is almost 50 per cent attack rate.
While calling on all and sundry to be on alert and inform the surveillance team put together by the State Ministry of Health and Human Services of any suspected case of monkeypox for onward action, Dr Ngishe said the ministry has already notify the LGA desk officers, social mobilisation officers as well as community health volunteer workers to strengthen their surveillance to fish out suspected cases.
