Monkeypox: Gombe Government Declares Outbreak

An outbreak of Monkeypox virus has been declared in Gombe State.

The Gombe State government announced the outbreak after three suspected cases returned positive.

Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, August 2, Gombe Commissioner of Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru said three cases were confirmed positive after 19 suspected cases were reported to the state’s Ministry of Health.

The three confirmed positive cases have since been treated and discharged from the hospital.

Dahiru also announced that the ministry has activated an Incident Management System (IMS) with full responsibilities for surveillance and effective response aimed at controlling the outbreak.

He said;

“The three cases presented to us were having fever which lasted for more than a week despite treatment for common causes of fever. They also developed rashes on the face and other parts of their body which prompted the suspicion of monkeypox.

“In the light of the above scenarios, I hereby declare the outbreak of Monkeypox in Gombe state.

“The disease can be transmitted from an infected animal to human beings through direct contact or body fluid and waste product of infected animal.

“Also, human to human transmission occurs directly through contact with body fluids of an infected person or indirectly through contact with surfaces contaminated by a patient.”