Cross River State Ministry of Health has disclosed that a fresh case of monkeypox (Mpox) has been confirmed in Okoshe community in Obudu Local Government Area.
Commissioner for Health, Egbe Ayuk, revealed this in Calabar.
He explained that a report from the National Reference Laboratory, Abuja, had confirmed the disease.
Ayuk further informed that his ministry was, on Monday, August 19, notified of a presumptive diagnosis for Mpox or chickenpox by the state epidemiologist of Ebonyi.
“A sample was then sent to the national reference lab from there. The result returned Saturday, August 24, 2024, positive for Mpox and negative for chickenpox.
“The case, a female, is from Okoshe village in Obudu Local Government Area. She was at the Federal Medical Centre, Abakaliki, to access care,” he said.
He said investigation about the patient’s travel history was ongoing to ascertain what took her primarily to Ebonyi, as there was no medical history or referral from Obudu.
Ayuk said he had directed the Mpox emergency operation centre to be activated immediately, with the Special Adviser to the Governor on health, Ekpo Ekpo, as the incident manager.