FG Not Responsible For Monkey Pox Outbreak – Lai

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, has denied a report that the Federal Government is responsible for the recent outbreak of Monkey Pox in some parts of the country.

The viral epidemic which was first recorded in Bayelsa State, has now spread to Rivers and Akwa Ibom state.

A report emerged last weekend that the government through its free medical care in the affected areas released the virus in a bid to reduce the population in the region.

The minister in a statement on Sunday, said Nigerians should disregard the report which, apparently, is being spread by some unscrupulous persons to fit into a sinister agenda.

“The Federal Government has not conducted any free medical service or care in either Bayelsa or Rivers state, as alleged in the fake report being circulated. So that could not have been the cause of the outbreak of Monkey Pox in both states,” Mohammed said.

“Monkey Pox is a virus found only in monkeys and it is rare in human beings. It belongs to the same family as Chicken Pox and Smallpox.

“It is suspected that someone may have contacted it by eating monkey meat, thus triggering the current outbreak.”