Anambra State Government has said that one out of the two suspected cases of monkeypox reported in the state has been confirmed positive.
Dr Afam Obidike, the state’s Commissioner for Health, made the disclosure at a news conference in Awka on Thursday.
Obidike said that the state had been on alert mode following the report of the disease early this year across some states in the country.
According to him, the state emergency preparedness and response team put all the relevant surveillance measures in place toward ending the spread of the outbreak.
“A few weeks ago, two suspected cases of monkeypox were reported in Anambra East, Onitsha and Oyi Local Government Areas (LGAs), out of which the case from Anambra East LGA was confirmed positive.
“The case is currently at the isolation centre of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, where he is receiving treatment and recovering.
“In light of the above, Gov. Charles Soludo immediately declared the incident an outbreak and an emergency preparedness and response committee meeting was convened on Wednesday.
“The meeting was attended by relevant stakeholders including the World Health Organisation (WHO) team and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). They are providing necessary assistance to the state.
“Planning for immediate response to the outbreak and surveillance, laboratory, case management, risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control and safe burial pillars, were activated,” he said.
“Once it is established at the hospital, the patient will be taken to our isolation centres for treatment. We have activated all our Isolation centres in the state.
“We urge residents to remain calm and stay safe as we mitigate this outbreak of monkeypox in the state. We shall overcome again,” he said.
