Following reports of Yellow Fever outbreak in Edo State, the Cross River State Ministry of Health through the Epidemiology Department has activated it’s Disease Surveillance and Tracking System to ensure a tight border security against disease migration into the State.

 

According to the State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong, the government will ensure there is no migration of the disease into the following the Festivity (Carnival Calabar) period.

 

Dr. Asibong said, “We owe it as a duty to residents of the State to ensure there’s no migration of disease of any sort into the State especially as we enter into the yuletide season where there’ll be lots of gathering of people.

 

“We have activated our disease surveillance team to make sure our borders are air-tight against anything that’ll threaten the peace and tranquility we are known for as a State, and our Emergency Response Center (ERC) is available round the clock to follow up any suspected case to ensure there’s no Yellow Fever Outbreak and other disease outbreak.”

 

Yellow Fever virus is spread through bites by an infected mosquito. It is a completely vaccine preventable disease and a single shot provides immunity for a lifetime. The Yellow Fever vaccine is freely available in all health facilities in Nigeria.

 

Remember that the Carnival Calabar (Calabar Festival) is around the corner, with full activities commencing December 1st with the commissioning of the Christmas Village in the Calabar Municipality Council Area. And with the outbreak of such disease in Edo State, a state in the same geopolitical (South-South) zone, the government needs to do more to prevent any transfer or outbreak of the disease and thank goodness the Ministry of Health has promised everyone that.

 

The public is by this advised to keep their environments clean and free of stagnant water to discourage the breeding of mosquitoes and use insecticide treated mosquito nets, screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquito bites.

By Frankie Ifop, CalabarReporters