NCDC Probes Mystery Illness In Delta

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has commenced an investigation into a mystery illness in Delta State.

Just last week, a student was said to have died with nine others hospitalised after the outbreak of an ailment in Boji-Boji Owa, in the Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

READ ALSO: WHO Declares Monkeypox Global Emergency, Triggers Highest Alert

In a short statement on its Twitter handle, the health agency said it is aware of the strange illness reported among secondary school children in the state and is investigating the situation.

NCDC said it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health and the Delta State Ministry of Health.

It also pledged to update Nigerians on the situation.

“The NCDC is aware of an unknown illness reported among secondary school children in Delta State,” the agency tweeted.

“We are in touch with @NigEducation, @Fmohnigeria & Delta State Ministry of Health to investigate and respond accordingly. We will communicate with Nigerians as the situation evolves.”

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization on Saturday declared the monkeypox outbreak, which has affected nearly 16,000 people in 72 countries, to be a global health emergency — the highest alarm it can sound.

“I have decided that the global #monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference.

He said a committee of experts who met on Thursday was unable to reach a consensus, so it fell on him to decide whether to trigger the highest alert possible.

“WHO’s assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region where we assess the risk as high,” he added.

Monkeypox has affected over 15,800 people in 72 countries, according to a tally by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published on July 20.

A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May outside the West and Central African countries where the disease has long been endemic.