Benue State has reported 31 suspected cases of Mpox in five Local Government Areas (LGAs), namely: Makurdi, Ushongo, Gwer East, Katsina-Ala, and Guma. This was revealed on Thursday at the Benue State Stakeholders' Engagement/Town Hall Meeting on the Mpox Vaccination Rollout by Mrs. Grace Wende, Executive Secretary of the Benue State Primary Health Care Board. Seven of the suspected instances were confirmed, she explained.
Represented by the State Immunization Officer (SIO), Mr. Emmanuel Adega, she said 10 unconfirmed cases were recorded in Makurdi, eight in Katsina-Ala, seven in Gwer East, four in Guma, and two in Ushongo LGAs.
She said, "We have verified one instance in Gwer East, two in Katsina-Ala, three in Makurdi, and one in Guma LGAs out of the statistics. Samples were gathered and brought to the lab for these incidents, which were documented in June. In July, the results were made public.
We have a list of everyone who interacted with the confirmed instances at the moment. After 43 days of observation, their names were obtained for vaccination, and they did not contract the illness.
The Executive Secretary clarified that the immunization campaign will only be available in areas where there is a danger of an epidemic, rather than being a nationwide initiative. She asked everyone involved to support the immunization campaign and ensure that any suspected cases of the disease are reported right away so that health officials can take immediate action.
Victor Olaniyi, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Social and Behaviour Change Health Consultant, stated in his presentation that "Mpox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals." According to him, the illness manifests as fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and rashes that blister and then crust over.
He confirmed that the immunizations were safe but cautioned that the sickness may spread readily. He said that the exercise will focus on particular neighborhoods due to the small number allotted to the state.
He confirmed that the immunizations were safe but cautioned that the sickness may spread readily. He said that the exercise will focus on particular neighborhoods due to the small number allotted to the state.
Olaniyi stated that the vaccine will be administered to those who are at least eighteen years old and have been authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for use in emergencies.
