Benue investigates suspected Mpox cases in Konshisha LG

Residents of Konshisha Local Government Area in Benue State, Nigeria, have issued a public appeal for urgent medical intervention, reporting a suspected Mpox outbreak. They described an unidentified skin disease causing severe rashes, fever, and blister-like lesions on affected individuals, primarily young men and women within the same community.

The community's statement, signed by Shadrach Mtsor, highlighted the rapid spread of the illness among people living in close quarters. "We are making a desperate public appeal for immediate medical intervention over a suspected outbreak of M-Pox in our community," the statement read. "Many of the affected persons are staff and residents within the same compound and have no access to proper diagnosis, isolation or treatment."

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We are making a desperate public appeal for immediate medical intervention over a suspected outbreak of M-Pox in our community. Many of the affected persons are staff and residents within the same compound and have no access to proper diagnosis, isolation or treatment. We fear this could spread to the wider Korinya community and beyond if not contained now.

Fearing a wider epidemic, the residents appealed to international and national health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), to deploy medical teams. They requested immediate assessment, testing, isolation materials, personal protective equipment, hygiene kits, and free medical treatment. They also suggested the potential temporary closure and decontamination of the affected workplace if necessary.

Dr. Paul Ogwuche, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, confirmed that the Ministry had activated its disease surveillance system upon learning of the reports. The Director of Public Health instructed the State Epidemiologist to deploy a Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer to the affected community to investigate the cases.

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Our community is poor and cannot handle this alone. The victims are isolated in their rooms without medical care. We are scared. We appeal to all well-meaning bodies, NGOs and government agencies to come to our aid before this becomes a bigger epidemic.