From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
A fresh case of monkeypox (Mpox) has been confirmed in Okoshe community in Obudu local government area of Cross River state, the Ministry of Health has revealed.
Health Commissioner, Dr. Egbe Ayuk, revealed this in Calabar.
He explained that a report from the National Reference Laboratory, Abuja, had confirmed the disease.
Dr. Ayuk further informed that his Ministry was, on Monday 19th August, notified of a presumptive diagnosis for Mpox or Chickenpox by the State Epidemiologist of Ebonyi.
“A Sample was then sent to the national reference lab from there. The result returned Saturday, 24 August 2024, positive for Mpox and negative for Chickenpox.
“The case, a female is from Okoshe village in Obudu local government area. She was at Federal Medical Centre, Abakaliki to access care,” he added.
He said that investigation about the patient’s travel history is ongoing, to ascertain what took her primarily to Ebonyi, as there is no medical history or referral from Obudu.
Ayuk said he has directed the Mpox Emergency Operation Center to be activated immediately, with the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ekpo Ekpo as the Incident Manager.