Mpox: Benue investigates suspected cases in Konshisha LG

By Peter Duru

The Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services has launched an investigation into reports of a suspected Mpox outbreak in Korinya, Konshisha Local Government Area, LGA, following a distress call by residents who appealed for urgent government and international intervention over an unidentified skin disease affecting several people in their community.

The alarm was raised by residents of Tyokula Achihi Residence, located along Km 2 Vandeikya Road, Korinya, in a public appeal dated July 25, 2026. The residents claimed that several young men and women had developed severe rashes, fever and blister-like lesions covering their faces, chests, backs and other parts of their bodies, raising fears of a possible Mpox outbreak.

In the statement signed by Shadrach Mtsor on behalf of the community, the residents said the illness appeared to be spreading rapidly among people living in close quarters, with many of the affected individuals reportedly being residents within the same compound.

“We are making a desperate public appeal for immediate medical intervention over a suspected outbreak of M-Pox in our community. Many of the affected persons are staff and residents within the same compound and have no access to proper diagnosis, isolation or treatment. We fear this could spread to the wider Korinya community and beyond if not contained now,” the statement read.

The community appealed to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health, the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), UNICEF, the Nigerian Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to urgently deploy medical personnel to investigate the cases.

Among the interventions requested were the immediate deployment of a rapid response medical team to assess and test the suspected cases, provision of isolation materials, personal protective equipment and hygiene kits, free medical treatment for affected persons, public health education to prevent further transmission, and possible temporary closure and decontamination of the affected workplace if necessary.

“Our community is poor and cannot handle this alone. The victims are isolated in their rooms without medical care. We are scared. We appeal to all well-meaning bodies, NGOs and government agencies to come to our aid before this becomes a bigger epidemic,” the residents added.

Responding to the reports, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, said the Ministry had immediately activated its disease surveillance system in line with established public health protocols after becoming aware of the reports circulating on social media.

According to the Commissioner, the Director of Public Health was instructed to work with the State Epidemiologist, who promptly deployed the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO) for Konshisha LGA to the affected community to conduct an on-the-ground assessment, investigate the suspected cases and collect clinical samples for laboratory analysis.

Dr. Ogwuche, however, stressed that no Mpox outbreak had been confirmed in Benue State, noting that laboratory testing remained the only basis for confirming the disease.

“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,” he stated.

The commissioner assured residents that the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia remained committed to protecting public health, adding that disease surveillance remained active across all 23 LGA of the state in collaboration with the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the WHO and other development partners.

He urged members of the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic, while encouraging 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.

Dr. Ogwuche also commended members of the Korinya community for promptly reporting the suspected cases, describing early reporting as critical to effective disease surveillance and emergency response.

He assured that the Ministry would make the findings of the investigation public as soon as laboratory results become available, adding that appropriate response measures would be implemented immediately in accordance with national public health guidelines if the suspected cases were confirmed to be Mpox or any other disease of public health concern.

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