Following the outbreak of monkeypox virus in Bayelsa state, the Federal Ministry of Health has advised Nigerians to avoid feeding on bushmeat and dead animals, including monkeys.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole on Thursday.
In a statement released through Boade Akinola, the director of media and public relations in the ministry, the minister stated that the disease don’t have a cure or vaccine but there is no cause for an alarm.
The statement read in part: “He (Adewole) said the virus was mild and there was no known treatment and no preventive vaccines, hence the public should be at alert and avoid crowded places as much as possible.
“He advised the public to avoid eating dead animals, bushmeat and particularly bush monkeys.”
The statement added that “The symptoms include headache, fever, back pains and in advanced cases, rashes bigger than those caused by chicken pox.”
Adewole also disclosed that test samples have been sent to the World Health Organisation (laboratory) in Senegal for analysis and the Ministry is still awaiting the results.
He also advised that anyone who experiences any of those symptoms listed above to go to a hospital.
Since the outbreak of the virus, 10 people and a doctor have been quarantined after they contracted the disease in Bayelsa State.