Cross River State has confirmed its first case of mpox in Okoshe village, Obudu Local Government Area.
Gatekeepers News reports that Commissioner for Health Egbe Ayuk announced that a report from the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja confirmed the case.
“A sample was sent to the national reference lab, and the result returned on Saturday, 24th August 2024, positive for mpox and negative for chickenpox,” Ayuk said.
The case involves a female patient who sought care at Federal Medical Centre, Abakaliki.
Ayuk noted that an investigation into her travel history is ongoing, and the state government is taking active measures to mitigate any outbreak in Obudu.
He instructed the immediate activation of the mpox Emergency Operation Centre and appointed Ekpo Ekpo as incident manager.
The commissioner outlined measures to prevent the spread of the disease, including contact tracing, quarantining, and awareness campaigns.
He also announced monthly financial support for LGA surveillance teams and supervision by state and LGA teams to establish isolation wards and promote hygiene education.
This development comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the mpox outbreak a global health emergency on August 14.
