Benue State Government on Wednesday deployed medical personnel to carry out necessary investigation on the suspected cases of monkeypox reported in Gboko and Vandeikya.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr Cecelia Ojabo, said the medical officers were immediately dispatched to the areas after the government received the reports.
Dr Ojabo said the blood sample of the suspected victims would be taken for necessary laboratory analysis to confirm whether or not they were indeed cases of monkeypox.
She, however, called on people of the state not to panic but remain calm as necessary measures were in place to protect them from the disease.
The commissioner informed that the state government had since shown serious concern over the outbreak of monkeypox in other parts of the country, saying that was why it had mounted serious sensitisation campaigns on how to prevent the disease.
She appealed to anyone who notices and suspects case(s) monkeypox in their environment to immediately report to the nearest medical facility for prompt action.
Ojabo also advised them to abstain from consumption of any form of bush meat, particularly monkey, rat, and squirrel, as well as reduce handshakes as parts of measures to prevent the disease.
She asked the dispatched medical personnel to have a high index of suspicion of all fever of unknown origin and make necessary referral to the Infectious Unit of the Benue State Teaching Hospital.
