By Glory Odey
The Cross River State Government has announced its first confirmed case of Monkeypox (Mpox) in Okoshe village, located in Obudu Local Government Area. The diagnosis was verified by the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja on Saturday, August 24th, 2024.
The Commissioner for Health Egbe Ayuk, stated that the patient, a woman from Okoshe village, initially sought medical care at the Federal Medical Center in Abakaliki. Authorities have launched an investigation into her travel history to trace the source of the infection.
In response to the confirmed case, the state government has promptly activated the Mpox Emergency Operation Center, appoint Ekpo Ekpo as the incident manager. The local response team in Obudu, in collaboration with state officials, has begun critical containment activities, including contact tracing, quarantining, and the collection of samples for further testing.
To ensure long-term management of the outbreak, the government has also rolled out several preventive measures which include launching awareness campaigns, delivering medical supplies to General Hospital Sankwala, and providing monthly financial support to local surveillance teams for active case detection.
The state will supervise the establishment of isolation wards, ensure the availability of infection control supplies, and promote hygiene education across the region.
This urgent response follows the World Health Organization (WHO)’s declaration of Mpox as a global health emergency on August 14th, 2024. The State government has moved to prevent the spread of the disease and safeguard public health.