Date: 2017-10-09

The Kwara Ministry of Health says it has commenced sensitisation at health facilities and the local government areas across the state on the monkey pox disease.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Sulaiman Alege, told journalists on Monday in Ilorin, that the education unit of the ministry has swung into action.

"We have commenced sensitisation through our education units, both at health facilities and the local government areas.

"This is to make people aware of the virus because some people haven't heard about it before.

"We also want them to be aware of the symptoms to watch out for to prevent any outbreak of the virus in the state," Alege said.

The News Agency of Nigeria, reports that early last week, there was an outbreak of monkey pox disease in Bayelsa.

NAN reports that the source of the infection is having contact with animals, such as monkey.

The disease was first identified in laboratory monkeys, hence its name, but in its natural state, it seems to infect rodents more often than primates.

NAN