Angela Onwuzoo The first case of Monkeypox also known as mpox has been recorded in Cross River State, after an individual was diagnosed in Okoshe village, Obudu Local Government Area of the state. The state’s Commissioner for Health, Egbe Ayuk, in a statement on Sunday, said a report from the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja confirmed the case. Ayuk added that his ministry was notified of a presumptive diagnosis of mpox or chickenpox by the Ebonyi state epidemiologist.
“A sample was then sent to the national reference lab, and the result returned on Saturday, 24th August 2024, positive for mpox and negative for chickenpox,” he said. “The case, a female from Okoshe village in Obudu local government area, sought care at Federal Medical Centre, Abakaliki.” He noted that investigation into her travel history is ongoing.
“While the investigation of the travel history of the case is ongoing, the state government is responding actively to mitigate any outbreak in Obudu,” Ayuk added. He instructed the immediate activation of the mpox Emergency Operation Centre and appointed Ekpo Ekpo, special adviser to the governor on health, as incident manager. He also directed the commencement of mitigation efforts by the Obudu LGA response team, with support from the state team.
The commissioner noted that the measures include listing symptomatic contacts, quarantining them at General Hospital Sankwala, and collecting samples. He added that long term measures include moving s.