Stephenson Ojeifo, the director of public health at the Edo State Ministry of Health, says the state has recorded three suspected cases of Mpox.

In an interview with journalists on Tuesday evening, Mr Ojeifo said that although none of the cases had been confirmed as positive, residents of the state should be vigilant.

He said, “We have three suspected cases of mpox; two patients are in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, and one is at the Edo State University Teaching Hospital, Auchi.”

Mr Ojeifo explained that while the symptoms of mpox resembled those of other skin rashes, the ministry maintained a high level of caution by isolating the suspected cases for proper management.

“We make sure that any suspected case is isolated while we send samples to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja for testing.

“So, until the results of the tests are out, we cannot say we have any case of Mpox,” Mr Ojeifo said.

He assured that the patients were not in critical condition but were being isolated as part of the state’s enhanced surveillance measures.

Mr Ojeifo also said the ministry had strengthened its surveillance across private, public, and primary healthcare centres.

He noted that while Edo had managed cases of monkeypox in the past, the current situation was being taken more seriously in line with the WHO and Africa Centre for Disease Control’s alert.

Mpox is a viral disease that primarily spreads through close contact with an infected person or animal or by touching contaminated objects.

(NAN)