Kwara records first case of monkeypox

The Kwara State government on Thursday confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Raji Razaq, who confirmed the development in a statement in Ilorin, said the index case was a 29-year-old driver in Edu local government area of the state.

He said the discovery of the case was the product of rigorous efforts of the surveillance and response team activated by the government since the country recorded its index case in March.

Razaq said: “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 contacts with the wife and four neighbours with similar symptoms where he lives at Gbugbu, in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

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“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 monkeypox.”

“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.

“There is also ongoing training and retraining of health workers to strengthen our response to the development.”

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