Osun govt confirms two cases of M-pox, urges residents not to panic

The Osun State Government, on Monday, said two cases of monkeypox, known as M-pox, have been recorded in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Jola Akintola, said this during a meeting of the Monkeypox Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) pillar in Osogbo.

Mr Akintola said the two cases were recorded in the Ilesa West Local Government Area of the state.

Providing the situation report on the disease, the State Epidemiologist, Omolola Adeagbo, said, “A total of 47 suspected cases were recorded from EPI Week 1 to Week 34 across 13 local government areas (LGAs). All 47 samples were sent to the laboratory, with two confirmed cases, both involving male patients aged five and 25 from Ilesa West.”

He outlined the actions the government had taken, including the deployment of Rapid Response Team (RRT) members to the field, advocacy and sensitisation efforts in the Ogbon Alafia community and at the index case’s residence, as well as community active case search and retroactive health facility search.

The confirmed cases were linked to the state hospital in Ilesa West.

Mr Akintola, however, assured the public that the state government was actively managing the situation, saying M-pox is a preventable disease.

“We successfully managed COVID-19 and prevented a cholera outbreak. Now, with two confirmed M-pox cases, the EOC has been activated, and stakeholders will meet every Monday to strategise on preventing the spread of the virus,” thecommissioner said.

He said during a recent visit to Abuja, he discussed the M-pox situation with the State Epidemiologist, who confirmed that Osun has only seen two cases in the last 34 weeks, compared to hundreds in other states.

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Mr Akintola also added that the state government had started awareness campaign on five radio stations, thus greatly contributing to managing the outbreak.

“There is no cause for alarm. Our officers are fully prepared, and just as we prevented cholera, we will also prevent the spread of M-pox.”

In their remarks, the state coordinator for the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ojediran Oluwatoyin, and the state coordinator for UNICEF, Israel Solomon, commended the state government’s proactive steps.

They said while there is currently no vaccine for M-pox in the country, the state should continue its sensitisation efforts across all local government areas and strengthen surveillance and community engagement.