Arewa

Gombe declares outbreak of monkeypox, confirms three cases

Few days after Bauchi recorded one confirmed case of the dreaded monkeypox disease, neighbouring Gombe State on Tuesday, announced that it had confirmed three cases of the disease.

The disclosure of the confirmed cases was made by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, while briefing journalists on the development in Gombe.

He, however said that the cases had already been treated and discharged, while management would continue just as he assured that preventive measures had been put in place to check its spread.

Habu Dahiru said, “We have 19 suspected cases in the state. Samples were collected from the suspected cases and three returned positive for monkeypox virus.

“The cases presented were having fever which lasted more than a week despite treatment for common causes of fever.

“They developed rashes on their faces and other parts of their body which prompted the suspicion of monkeypox. In the light of the above, I hereby declare the outbreak of monkeypox in Gombe State.”

The commissioner described monkeypox as a rare viral zoonotic disease with an incubation period of five to 21 days, adding that, “It has two phases of symptoms which include fever, headaches, body pain, body weakness and lymph node swelling.”

According to him, “Other symptoms are body rashes that start from the face and subsequently spread to other parts of the body, including palms and soles of feet.

“The disease can be transmitted from infected animals to human through direct contact or body fluid and waste product of infected animals.”

He added that, “Also, human to human transmission occurs directly through contact with body fluids of an infected person or indirectly through contact with surfaces contaminated by a patient.”

The Commissioner then advised people to be watchful and report immediately to the nearest health facility any symptoms of the disease for prompt action by qualified medical professionals.

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