NOA Fears Widespread Unreported Infections As Akwa Ibom Records 11 Mpox Cases

The prevalence of mpox cases in 10 out of the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State has raised anxiety with 11 cases recorded so far while several others that suspected unreported.

The State Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mkpoutom Ufot Mkpoutom, who stated this on Monday also disclosed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was working with the state government to prevent loss of lives from the outbreak.

Mkpoutom disclosed during the weekly editorial meeting of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

According to the NOA, the affected local government areas include Uyo, Mkpat Enin, Uruan, Ikot Ekpene, Onna, among others, with more yet to be detected as investigations continue.

The NOA’s state director disclosed that a family of six had contracted the disease in Onna LGA, and moved to Uyo in search of solution, thereby raising fears that this could result in more persons contracting mpox through bodily contacts and body fluids from coughing, sneezing, sweating and other channels.

“Akwa Ibom has become the number one most infected states by Mpox, because the figure we have is higher than ones reported in other states and it’s already spreading to 10 LGAs. We have taken sensitisation campaigns across the 31 LGAs including schools, traditional institutions, religious instructions and the local communities.

“We are sensitising people to know and report cases of people with such symptoms to the nearest healthcare centres because the World Health Organisation (WHO) is working in collaboration with the State government to treat the symptoms free because there no known cure for now,” Mkpoutom said.

According to him, the six family members have been traced and handed over to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for isolation and treatment.

He, therefore, warned the people to observe high level of personal hygiene including frequent hand washing, wearing of nose mask and environmental cleanliness.

He noted that the carriers of the disease are not only monkeys, but other bush animals such as rats, rabbits and other rodents, which he noted, informed the decision of the WHO to codename it as mpox.