FG Maintains Surveillance To Prevent A Monkeypox Outbreak 

Recent outbreaks of monkeypox sickness have been observed in Europe and America.

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated this at Abuja.

According to Abubakar, the surveillance involved monitoring animal entrance points as well as raising disease prevention awareness among hunting groups and the broader public.

He stated that the ministry was working diligently in partnership with key sectors and stakeholders to increase animal population surveillance and wildlife entrance point surveillance.

The illness, according to the minister, will undoubtedly harm the population of our farmers if left unchecked, resulting in low agricultural production and productivity.

He recommended the people to avoid contact with animals that may carry the virus, such as animals that are sick or found dead in areas where monkey pox has been reported, as well as any item that has come into touch with a sick animal, such as bedding.

After coming into touch with sick animals or humans, the minister recommended the public to wash their hands and use alcohol-based sanitizers.

“The ministry would like to assure the general public and the international community of her resolve to continue to collaborate with relevant sectors and stakeholders to promptly contain the disease in the event of an outbreak in the country,” he said.

Recent outbreaks of monkeypox sickness have been observed in Europe and America, according to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN).

Monkeypox is a zoonotic infectious illness that was initially discovered in monkeys in 1958. Rodents are now thought to be a plausible mode of transmission of the disease to humans and animals.

It mostly affects nonhuman primates such as chimps. It is a self-limiting illness with symptoms of bump rashes in humans that generally lasts 2-4 weeks and has a 3-6% mortality rate.

Close touch with an infected person or animal, as well as material contaminated with the virus, transmits the sickness.

The major mode of transmission is mainly by animal spillage; man-to-man transmission is less prevalent. Clinically, the disease mimics smallpox.

Hunting, illicit wildlife trading, and wildlife market handling are some of the risk factors identified.