Katsina: Four cases of monkeypox treated, patients discharged

The state Commissioner for Health, Yakubu Nuhu Danja, disclosed this on Tuesday during the Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee Meeting held to update the public and the committee members on the current outbreaks.

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“It is important to mention that the state has so far identified 27 persons from 9 LGAS suspected to have symptoms of monkeypox as at last week of this month. However, no life was lost in the state due to this disease since the beginning of the outbreak. Samples were collected and tested in the Laboratory from all the 27 suspected persons out of whom 4 were confirmed positive for monkeypox.

“The affected individuals have been treated and have fully recovered. We still have pending 14 samples in the laboratory, awaiting final results,” he said.

For cholera outbreak, the commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Kabir Mustapha, said from January to date, about 803 suspected cases were identified, out of which 53 were confirmed positive with Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) across the state.

The identified cases were placed on free treatment jointly by the state, LGAs and partners with very good outcome.

He said the state had continued its efforts in the control of the Covid-19 pandemic. The current figures recorded as at last week were 2,431 cases with 37 related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in the state in early 2020.

Danja said as part of control measures for monkeypox and cholera outbreaks, the Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs) were activated, Rapid Response Team deployed and active case search was ongoing.

He said the government had commenced sensitization on infection prevention and control, distribution of IEC materials, public enlightenment through media discussion, adding that Diseases Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs), their assistants as well as other health care workers had been trained in how to control the outbreaks.

While thanking WHO, UNICEF, and other partners for their support, Danja called on the general public to always be vigilant and comply with preventive measures against these diseases which include personal hygiene, hand washing before and after meals, avoiding contact with affected persons, and reducing over-crowding among others.