SAN FRANCISCO, October 08, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government on Sunday described as fake and sinister the report that the outbreak of Monkey Pox in some parts of the country resulted from the alleged free medical care by the government in the affected areas.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a
statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant, Segun Adeyemi, urged Nigerians to disregard the report which is apparently being spread by some unscrupulous persons to fit into a sinister agenda.
”The Federal Government has not conducted any free medical service or care in either Bayelsa or Rivers state, as alleged in the fake report being circulated. So that could not have been the cause of the outbreak of Monkey Pox in both states.
“Monkey Pox is a virus found only in monkeys and it is rare in human beings. It belongs to the same family as Chicken Pox and Smallpox.
”It is suspected that someone may have contacted it by eating monkey meat, thus triggering the current outbreak,” the Minister said, assuring that no effort will be spared in curtailing the spread of the disease.
Samples from suspected victims in Bayelsa and Rivers have been sent to the World Health Organisation, WHO, laboratory in Dakar, Senegal for confirmation.
Meanwhile, Monkey pox has been recorded in Akwa Ibom State, after 13 people contracted the disease in Bayelsa with 49 others placed on the watch list as at last week.
The Commissioner for Information in Akwa Ibom, Charles Udoh, confirmed the single case in a statement in Uyo, the state capital, on Sunday.
He also disclosed that the state government is investigating two more cases suspected to be monkeypox.
“Monkeypox currently has no treatment and no vaccine. It looks like smallpox but, the rashes are larger while the disease is milder.
“The era of avoiding excessive handshake, regular hand-washing and abstinence from bush meat is here, again.
“We will provide more information subsequently,” the commissioner said.
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