Lagos State Government has again reiterated the need for citizens to ensure and maintain adequate personal and environmental hygiene at all times as part of precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of infectious diseases such as monkey pox which was recently reported in the state.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who stated this earlier in the week during the biosecurity update meeting on the situation report of monkey pox disease in the state, urged residents to observe the highest possible standards of personal and environmental hygiene, especially through regular washing of hands with soap and running water and attention to environmental exposure.

Giving details about the recent report of the disease in Lagos State, the commissioner disclosed that three suspected cases of monkey pox were reported by health facilities in the past one month noting that the cases were positive for monkey pox as revealed by reports of laboratory investigation.

“The patients, who were treated at the specialised infectious disease isolation centre of Mainland Hospital, Yaba, have since recovered and have been discharged. The close contacts and family members of these cases were actively monitored for 21 days for any development of signs and symptoms of monkey pox and none of these contacts develop any symptoms,” Abayomi said.

The commissioner, while calling for calm assured residents that there is no cause to panic stressing the state government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health through the Centre for Disease Control is maintaining relevant surveillance activities in all local government areas to prevent an outbreak of the disease.

He explained that the state epidemiology and the monkey pox focal persons from Nigerian Centre for Disease Control had earlier carried out sensitisation for clinicians and community members in some local government areas of the state three months ago to increase awareness and reporting of any suspected case.

He advised health workers to ensure that they take universal safety precautions when dealing with patients stressing that appropriate personal protective clothings must be worn when attending to cases of contagious infectious diseases.

The commissioner advised that precaution should be taken when coming into contact with wildlife such as monkeys or rodents, especially if such animals exhibit features of disease. (Agency Report/The Nation)