Edo State has confirmed 86 dengue fever cases and launched an emergency response to contain spread.
Health officials urge residents to destroy mosquito breeding sites and report suspected infections promptly.
The Edo State Government has confirmed an outbreak of dengue fever, with 86 cases detected in various communities.
Speaking during a press briefing in Benin City on Friday, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, disclosed that the government under Governor Monday Okpebholo is taking urgent steps to contain the spread and protect residents.
To coordinate the outbreak response, Dr. Stephenson Ojiefoh, Director of Public Health, has been appointed as incident manager. Dr. Oshiomhole announced that an Emergency Operations Centre has been activated, with a multi-pronged strategy that includes disease tracking, clinical care, mosquito control, and environmental sanitation in affected areas.
He called on all healthcare workers to stay alert and report suspected dengue cases without delay.
Dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes particularly Aedes aegypti spreads rapidly in areas with stagnant water and poor waste management. The commissioner urged residents to play their part by clearing mosquito breeding sites, covering water containers, sleeping under insecticide-treated nets, and keeping their surroundings clean.
Officials from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the State Disease Surveillance team, and top Ministry of Health directors were present at the briefing to review response efforts.
Beyond the dengue outbreak, the commissioner also revealed that Edo State is currently managing multiple public health challenges. So far, 137 confirmed cases from various disease outbreaks have been recorded, resulting in 24 deaths.
According to him, the state has reported two yellow fever cases one of which was fatal eight confirmed cases of monkeypox (Mpox) with no deaths, and eight diphtheria infections, which have led to three fatalities.
Dr. Oshiomhole reiterated the state government’s commitment to improving disease surveillance and public awareness to safeguard community health.
