Benue Investigates Suspected Mpox Case in Konshisha, Health Commissioner Urges Calm Amid Surveillance Response

Health authorities in Benue State have activated emergency disease surveillance protocols following reports of a suspected case of Monkeypox (Mpox) in Konshisha Local Government Area, with the state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, urging residents to remain calm until laboratory results confirm or rule out the illness.

The alarm was raised after a suspected case was reported at the residence of one Tyokula Achihi in the local government, prompting swift action from the state's public health machinery. According to the commissioner, the ministry moved quickly once the report came in, treating it with the seriousness such cases demand given Mpox's classification as a notifiable disease under Nigeria's public health framework.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Ogwuche said the Director of Public Health had been directed to liaise immediately with the state epidemiologist, who in turn deployed a Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO) for Konshisha LGA to the reported location.

The officer's assignment includes on-the-ground assessment, detailed case investigation, and the collection of appropriate clinical samples for laboratory testing , standard procedure whenever a suspected case of a notifiable infectious disease is reported anywhere in the state.

Crucially, the commissioner was emphatic that no outbreak has been confirmed. He explained that symptoms commonly associated with Mpox — skin rashes, blisters, and fever — are not unique to the disease and can arise from a range of other medical conditions, from allergic reactions to other viral or bacterial infections. For that reason, he said, a formal diagnosis cannot be made until laboratory analysis of the collected samples is complete.

"At this stage, no Mpox outbreak has been confirmed in Benue State. It is important to emphasise that skin rashes and fever can result from several medical conditions, and laboratory confirmation is required before any diagnosis of Mpox can be made," the statement read in part.

Ogwuche used the opportunity to reassure residents that the state's disease surveillance architecture is fully functional and not limited to the affected community. He noted that surveillance systems remain active across all 23 local government areas of Benue State, allowing health officials to detect and respond to unusual disease patterns wherever they emerge. He added that the ministry continues to work closely with national and international health bodies, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and other development partners, to strengthen early detection and coordinate rapid response to any public health event in the state.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease that spreads mainly through close contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals. Symptoms typically include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash that progresses through several stages before scabbing over. Nigeria has recorded intermittent Mpox cases in recent years as part of a wider resurgence of the disease across parts of Africa, which had earlier prompted global health bodies to raise alert levels. Health authorities across the country have since maintained heightened vigilance, particularly in states with a history of reported cases or high population movement.

Against this backdrop, Ogwuche appealed to Benue residents to avoid spreading unverified information about the suspected case, warning that rumours and speculation could trigger unnecessary panic within affected communities before facts are established. He encouraged the public to rely on official updates from the ministry rather than unconfirmed reports circulating on social media or through word of mouth.

He further advised anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with Mpox to seek prompt medical attention rather than waiting or self-medicating.

"We encourage anyone experiencing fever accompanied by unexplained rashes or blisters to report immediately to the nearest health facility for proper medical evaluation and to avoid close physical contact until assessed by healthcare professionals," he said.

The Benue State Ministry of Health has promised to provide further updates once laboratory results from the suspected case are available.