The Osun State government said on Monday that two cases of monkeypox, known as M-pox, have been recorded in the state.
The State Commissioner for Health, Jola Akintola, said this during a meeting of the Monkeypox Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) pillar in Osogbo.
Mr Akintola said the two cases were recorded in Ilesa West Local Government Area of the state.
Providing the situation report on the disease, the State Epidemiologist, Omolola Adeagbo, said: “A total of 47 suspected cases were recorded from week 1 to week 34 of the EPI in 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The 47 samples were sent to the laboratory, with two confirmed cases, both male patients aged five and 25 years from Ilesa West.”
He described the actions the government had taken, including the deployment of Rapid Response Team (RRT) members on the ground, advocacy and awareness-raising efforts in the Ogbon Alafia community and at the residence of the index case, as well as active case finding in the community and retroactive tracing of health facilities.
The confirmed cases were linked to the state hospital in Ilesa West.
Mr Akintola, however, assured the public that the state government was actively managing the situation and affirming that M smallpox is a preventable disease.
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“We have successfully controlled COVID-19 and prevented a cholera outbreak. Now, with two confirmed cases of smallpox M, the Emergency Operations Centre has been activated and stakeholders will meet every Monday to develop strategies to prevent the spread of the virus,” the commissioner said.
He said that during a recent visit to Abuja, he discussed the M smallpox situation with the state epidemiologist, who confirmed that Osun has only seen two cases in the past 34 weeks, compared to hundreds in other states.
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Mr. Akintola also added that the state government had initiated an awareness campaign on five radio stations, thereby contributing greatly to the management of the outbreak.
“There is no reason to be alarmed. Our officers are fully prepared and, just as we prevent cholera, we will also prevent the spread of smallpox.”
In their remarks, the State Coordinator of the World Health Organization (WHO), Ojediran Oluwatoyin, and the State Coordinator of UNICEF, Israel Solomon, commended the proactive measures of the state government.
They said that while there is currently no M-smallpox vaccine in the country, the state should continue its awareness-raising efforts across all local government areas and strengthen surveillance and community engagement.