No Confirmed Mpox Outbreak in Benue, Health Ministry Assures Residents

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

The Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services has dismissed reports of a confirmed Monkey pox (Mpox) outbreak in the state, assuring residents that no case has been verified following investigations into a suspected incident in Konshisha Local Government Area.

In a statement issued to journalists on Saturday, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ejeh Ogwuche, said the ministry swiftly activated its disease surveillance system after receiving reports circulating on social media about a suspected Mpox case at Tyokula Achihi Residence in Korinya, Konshisha LGA.

According to the commissioner, the Director of Public Health immediately coordinated with the State Epidemiologist, deployed the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO) for Konshisha LGA to the community to conduct an on-the-ground assessment, investigate the suspected case, and collect clinical samples for laboratory analysis.

Dr. Ogwuche stressed that no Mpox outbreak has been confirmed in Benue State, noting that symptoms such as fever and skin rashes could be associated with several illnesses and that laboratory testing remains the only reliable means of confirming Mpox.

He said the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia remains committed to protecting the health of residents through an active disease surveillance system operating across all 23 local government areas of the state.

The commissioner added that the ministry continues to work closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other development partners to ensure prompt detection and response to any public health threat.

He urged members of the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic, while advising anyone experiencing fever accompanied by unexplained rashes or blisters to seek immediate medical attention at the nearest health facility and avoid close physical contact until properly assessed by healthcare professionals.

Dr. Ogwuche also commended residents for promptly reporting the suspected case, describing early reporting as critical to effective disease surveillance and rapid public health response.

He assured that the ministry would make the outcome of the ongoing investigation and laboratory tests public as soon as they are available, adding that appropriate response measures would be implemented immediately if Mpox or any other disease of public health concern is confirmed.

The commissioner reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all residents across Benue State.