Katsina State government has confirmed four cases of positive monkeypox out of the 27 persons identified with the symptoms in nine undisclosed local government areas of the state.
Engineer Yakubu Nuhu Danja, the state commissioner of health disclosed this during an emergency preparedness and response committee meeting held in Katsina on Tuesday.
“Though no life was lost in the State due to this disease since the beginning of the outbreak. Samples were collected and tested in the Laboratory from all the 27 suspected persons out of whom 4 were confirmed positive for monkeypox”.
He however maintained that, the
affected individuals have been treated and are fully recovered with no life loss.
According to him, we still have pending 14 samples in the laboratory, awaiting the final result.
“For Cholera outbreak, from January to date, about 803 suspected cases were identified, out of which 53 were confirmed positive with Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) across the State”.
“The identified cases were placed on free treatment jointly by the State, LGAs and partners with very good outcomes. For COVID-19 the State has continued its efforts the control the pandemic. The current figures recorded as of last week were 2,431 cases with 37
related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in the State in early 2020”, the commissioner.
As part of control measures, monkeypox and Cholera outbreaks, Danja added that the Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs) were activated, Rapid Response Team deployed and an active case search is ongoing.
Similarly, he said the state government has commenced sensitization on Infection Prevention and Control, Distribution of IEC materials, public enlightenment through media discussion, Diseases Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs), their assistants and other health care workers have been trained on how to control the outbreaks.
The health commissioner also maintained that call centres have been activated, and Psychosocial support by professionals to suspected and confirmed cases has been active on identified cases.
“Drugs and consumables such as
antibiotics, analgesics, Intravenous fluids, and ORS were already procured and distributed across the 34 LGAs. Additional Healthcare workers were trained in case management and Infection Prevention and control measures.
Yakubu Nuhu Danja, therefore, called on the general public to be vigilant and comply with preventive measures against these diseases which include personal hygiene, hand washing before and after meals, avoiding contact with affected persons, reducing over-crowding, use of face masks, avoiding drinking of contaminated water and eating contaminated foods and reporting of all suspected cases early to hospitals.
He thanked WHO, UNICEF, and all other partners for supporting the State in these outbreaks’ response and appreciated the traditional leaders for their immense efforts in the mobilization and sensitization of the community for the
containment of the outbreaks.
