Chijioke Iremeka Nigerians have been advised to stop consuming bush meat due to the outbreak of mpox in some neighbouring countries. The experts cautioned that handling and consuming wildlife, including various bush meats, which are traditional staples in many regions, were linked to the spread of the infection. Bushmeats, often sourced from wild animals such as primates, rodents, and bats, the specialists said, can harbour viruses and other pathogens that pose significant health risks.
PUNCH Healthwise earlier reported that the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had designed a health declaration form for international passengers to guide against the surging new strain of mpox in some African countries from spreading to the country. The Africa Centre for Disease Control on Tuesday declared a public health emergency over the growing mpox outbreak on the continent. The outbreak has swept through several African countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo.
There is a serious and growing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has now expanded outside the country. A new viral strain, which first emerged in September 2023, has, for the first time, been detected outside DRC. The World Health Organisation stressed that the emergence last year and rapid spread of a new virus strain in DRC, clade 1b, which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in countries neighbouring the .