The Association of Resident Doctors, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (ARD-UITH) Chapter, has warned against consumption of undercooked bush meat to avoid contracting the deadly m-pox virus.
Its President, Dr Yusuf Muhammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital that people should also avoid contact with dead animals as much as possible.
NAN reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the outbreak of m-pox in parts of Africa a public health emergency of international concern.
At least 450 people died during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the disease has since spread to areas of Central and East Africa, Pakistan and Sweden.
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An infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals, M-pox is caused by the Orthopoxvirus Monkeypox, a zoonotic virus in the genus Orthopoxvirus.
Some of its symptoms are sore throat, itchy or painful rash, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the disease can spread through close contact such as touching, kissing or sex, as well as through contaminated materials like bed sheets, clothing and needles.
The ARD-UITH president explained that “m-pox is not entirely new, but at some point, new strains commonly appear, and in recent times, WHO sent a warning that the strain that is detected is a new one’’.