Benue debunks Mpox outbreak, says suspected case is chickenpox

Fears of an Mpox outbreak in Benue State have been allayed by the state government, which has confirmed a suspected case was actually chickenpox. The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, announced the findings after an investigation into a report from Korinya Community in Konshisha Local Government Area.

Officials from the ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, State Epidemiology Unit, and Disease Surveillance and Notification System thoroughly examined two adults in the community who had presented with fever and widespread skin rashes. These individuals had already sought treatment at a local private facility and were showing marked improvement by the time investigators arrived.

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The Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services wishes to state that, based on the findings available at this time, there is no evidence of an Mpox outbreak in Korinya Community, Konshisha LGA.

The clinical assessment concluded that the presentation was more consistent with chickenpox (varicella). Key factors included the illness following a typical chickenpox course, with patients already recovering and their lesions crusted. Crucially, investigators noted the absence of lesions on the palms, soles, or oral mucous membranes, which are common Mpox symptoms. Furthermore, there was no known contact with any confirmed or suspected Mpox cases, significantly lowering the likelihood of an outbreak.

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Following a detailed clinical assessment, the presentation was found to be more consistent with chickenpox (varicella) than Mpox.