Monkeypox spreads to 11 states

The Federal Government, yesterday, said the Monkeypox virus has spread to 11 states with 74 suspected cases as against seven states and 33 cases recorded on October 11.

     Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, stated this when he briefed State House Correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House Council Chamber, Abuja.

Adewole, who, three days ago, said there were only three confirmed cases, listed the 11 affected states as Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa and Rivers.

 “The Council received an update on the state of the public health of the nation. We informed the council about the latest development in respect of the Monkeypox virus outbreak. So far, as of today (yesterday), there are 74 suspected cases in 11 states of the country.

“We have confirmed three from Bayelsa and 12 of the suspected cases from Bayelsa tested negative; four suspected cases from Lagos tested negative. We are still expecting the results of the other ones.

“We are also doing test at the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Ede, to really understand the genomics of this virus. Even when they are negative, the laboratory attendant should be able to tell us what exactly they are,” he said.

He, however, dismissed rumour that the virus was being spread by the military through vaccination.

“The military is not involved in any vaccination exercise. And I must also educate Nigerians about how vaccination campaigns are done. The Federal Government will take the lead but we do not conduct campaign without working with states. So, there is no way we will do campaign without working with the states,” he said.

But he disclosed that the ministry would soon start vaccination against measles while a nationwide vaccination against Yellow Fever would commence before the end of the year.

This is even it he said the Federal Ministry of Health was conducting vaccination in only three states- Borno, Kwara and Kogi.

While cholera vaccination was being conducted in Borno, Yellow Fever vaccination was ongoing in Kwara and Kogi.

Asked if the military medical outreach was in good fate, the minister replied: “With respect to what the military is doing, I spoke about vaccination and not about military campaign. The military, as part of a campaign of winning over the heart and soul of the people will get engaged in several things. In the past, the military was noted for even constructing roads, the military would do outreaches, measure blood pressure, talk to people. These are normal things; I referred only to vaccination. We had to request for the assistance of the military in Borno State to reach inaccessible area with respect to the polio campaign. So, we have worked with the military in the past and we will continue to work with them.

“There are doctors in the military, there are nurses and when you go abroad, some of the best institutions abroad are managed by the military. So, we cannot disown the military. But what I want to put across is that the military is not involved in any vaccination.”

He also red the red flag on the nefarious activities of illegal traffickers of kidney, who he tagged illegal organ harvesters.

“With respect to the harvest of organs, we received advice periodically from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, from the National Security Adviser about goings on around the world, one of which is the harvest of organs illegally; and it is our duty to alert Nigerians that this is ongoing. They should be careful, they should seek advice, they should patronise only accredited institution. And as we rebuild our health infrastructure, there will be less need for anybody to travel out.”

This, he said would spare Nigerians the agony of falling victims of some of the illegal practices.