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The Bayelsa State Government on Friday set up a 12-member rapid response team consisting of top medical practitioners and public health experts following the outbreak of Monkey pox, a viral disease, in the state.
The government also inaugurated other sub-teams with the mandates to prevent the spread of the virus and trace possible victims of the virus.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebimitula Etebu, who set up the committees, reassured the citizens that the epidemic was under control, adding that there was not need to panic.
He said 13 suspected cases were at different stages of recovery at the makeshift isolation ward in the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri.
The commissioner said over 50 suspected victims were being followed at various places in the state, insisting that the situation was not beyond control.
He, however, implored the people to observe the simple habit of hand washing and gave some boxes of hand sanitizers to the team entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the disease.
Etebu said: ”At present, as we speak, we have 13 suspected cases at different stages of recovery following treatment at the makeshift isolation ward at NDUTH, Okolobiri. There are also over 50 persons being actively followed at differently located places in the state.
”And this is in order to quickly detect any new cases following exposure to suspected cases. The state Ministry of Health, with the support of the international community led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), international partners and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have since embarked on enlightenment campaigns.
”Active disease surveillance has also been carried out, case management and other sundry measures have also been carried out in a bid to halt the spread of the disease in the state.
”New suspected cases are being reported every day in the state. The situation can get out of hand if critical measures are not quickly put in place and that is why we have thought it expedient to inform the public.”