Mpox Outbreak: Benue State Reports 31 Suspected Cases in Five Local Government Areas

Benue State has recorded 31 suspected Mpox cases across five Local Government Areas (LGAs): Makurdi, Ushongo, Gwer East, Katsina-Ala, and Guma, raising public health concerns across the state.

This development was made known by Mrs. Grace Wende, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Primary Health Care Board, during the Benue State Stakeholders Engagement and Town Hall Meeting on the rollout of the Mpox vaccination campaign.

She confirmed that out of the 31 suspected cases, six had been verified as positive.

Speaking on her behalf, the State Immunisation Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Adega, disclosed that Makurdi LGA reported 10 suspected cases, Katsina-Ala had eight, Gwer East recorded seven, Guma documented four, and Ushongo had two unconfirmed incidents.

According to him, “Of these, we confirmed one case in Gwer East, two in Katsina-Ala, three in Makurdi, and one in Guma LGAs.”

The reported Mpox cases emerged in June, and biological samples were collected from the affected individuals and taken to the laboratory for testing. The test results were released in July, confirming the disease in six individuals.

Mrs. Wende further stated that all persons who had direct contact with the confirmed cases were traced, their details documented, and monitored closely for 43 days. None of the contacts developed symptoms during the observation period.

These contacts have now been scheduled for vaccination as part of the state’s containment efforts.

She clarified that the Mpox vaccination campaign will not cover the entire state but will target specific communities considered high-risk for Mpox outbreaks.

Mrs. Wende urged community leaders, health workers, and stakeholders to lend their support to the campaign and emphasized the importance of reporting suspected cases promptly for immediate response by health professionals.

In his health presentation, UNICEF’s Social and Behaviour Change Consultant, Victor Olaniyi, explained that Mpox is a contagious viral infection that affects both humans and animals.

He described its symptoms, which typically include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes with blisters that form scabs before healing.

Olaniyi warned that Mpox spreads easily through physical contact, but assured the public of the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. Due to the limited vaccine doses allocated to Benue State, the immunization effort will prioritize the most affected communities.

He also mentioned that the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the vaccine for emergency use, and it will be given to individuals aged 18 and above.

He emphasized, “The vaccine is safe, free, and effective. It requires two doses for full protection. Apart from getting vaccinated, people must maintain personal hygiene and avoid contact with those showing symptoms of Mpox.”