The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Akwa Ibom State has begun a sensitization exercise to educate the public on the prevalence and prevention of Mpox disease in the state.
This initiative follows reports from the Ministry of Health that Akwa Ibom State has recorded eight cases of the Mpox outbreak, ranking it among the states with the highest prevalence of the virus.
The NOA Coordinator in the state, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists in Uyo on Monday.
He stated that about 10 local government areas in the state have been affected.
He added that the agency’s staff have been dispatched to the affected councils since last week after receiving instructions from the Ministry of Health to sensitize the public on preventive measures and the importance of seeking medical attention immediately in case of fever, headache, boils, or sores on the skin.
Mkpoutom emphasized the need for people to avoid consuming dead or undercooked meat and urged them to maintain personal and environmental hygiene.
He said, “I am sure that you are very much aware that Akwa Ibom has the highest cases of Mpox right now as we speak. My team has been in the field since last week after we received instructions from the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Akwa Ibom State Agency on Health Matters.
“Ten local governments are seriously affected, with the most impacted local government areas being Uyo, Onna, Mkpat Enin, and Ikot Ekpene. This means that, in the whole federation, Akwa Ibom ranks high in Mpox cases.
“Right now, this is the problem in Akwa Ibom, and we want everybody to be aware. According to the health sector, there is currently no cure for Mpox; management and treatment are the only options available.”
While noting that, in Onna LGA alone, about six people were affected by the disease in one household, Mkpoutom called on the people of the state to report any such cases to the nearest medical center for treatment.
“We are asking people to please report cases like this. People should not assume that it is just ordinary rashes (Krokro); it is not. The disease is easily spread. It is contracted from bush meat. Initially, it was thought to have been spread by monkeys, but after conducting some research, we discovered that it is not spread by monkeys alone; even rats can spread it. When it enters a person, it spreads throughout the household.
“In Onna LGA, about six people were afflicted in one house, and those six people unfortunately had to migrate to Uyo for some unknown reason before the NCDC was able to trace them. This shows how the disease can spread, and now Uyo has become the second most affected area.
He disclosed that the affected persons have been quarantined while contact tracing is still ongoing in the state.