23 August 2024
Central Equatoria State Governor Augustino Jadalla Wani has directed his cabinet to sensitize the public on the Mpox- a viral disease that has been reported in neighboring Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya.
Suspected cases of Mpox have been reported in the state although there is no confirmed case according to the health ministry.
On August 19, national minister of health, Yolanda Awel Deng, revealed that they have so far registered 25 suspected cases of monkey pox from Western Equatoria, Northern Bahr el Ghazel and Central Equatorial States, adding that results of 17 samples are pending and the other 8 cases have turned out negative.
Gerard Francis, acting State Minister of Information and Communication briefing the media after the cabinet meeting on Thursday in Juba, said governor Wani directed the cabinet to ensure massive awareness is carried out for the public to take precautions.
“The chair (governor Jadalla) directed our cabinet members to take charge of sensitising our people about the issue that we are hearing about the Mpox and he said this is one of the issue that is serious, although up to now we have not yet got confirmation but it is alway good to be in advance,” said Francis, Adding, “He urged the members of cabinet wherever they are especially in community gatherings to always carryout awareness so that our people remain safe from this.”
He stated that the cabinet resolved to reactivate counties task-forces formed during to Covid19 pandemic for timely response.
“The council agreed that all our counties must reactivate all the task forces that we used to have during Covid19 and also the rapid response teams that we had that time to be reactivated and to be on standby in case of any issue arising then they will respond accordingly,” he said.
Mpox popularly known as monkey pox is a viral disease that has been reported in neighboring Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya.
It is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Anyone can catch either clade of mpox, as it spreads from person-to-person, through close contact (including intimate or sexual contact) with someone who has the mpox virus, through contact with contaminated materials, such as bed sheets or towels, and contact with infected animals.
Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern because of the rapid spread of a mpox virus strain, clade 1, after its emergence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last year, and the potential for the virus to spread further across countries in Africa and outside the continent.