Dengue Fever Outbreak, 86 Cases Confirmed

EDO, Nigeria - The Ministry of Health in Edo State reported on Friday that there is an outbreak of dengue fever, with 86 cases identified throughout the state.

During a press briefing, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, expressed the commitment of Governor Monday Okpebholo's administration to ensuring the safety of residents and to managing the situation until it is fully under control.

Oshiomhole announced the appointment of Dr. Stephenson Ojiefoh, Director of Public Health, as the incident manager to spearhead the response efforts.

He stated, “The Edo State Ministry of Health has confirmed the outbreak of dengue fever, with 86 cases reported statewide.”

The Emergency Operation Centre has been activated, and a comprehensive plan is being implemented across the affected areas, which includes surveillance, case management, vector control, and environmental sanitation.

Oshiomhole urged healthcare workers throughout the state to be

The Commissioner explained that dengue fever is caused by a virus transmitted via bites from Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti, and tends to spread rapidly in locales with poor sanitation and stagnant water—ideal mosquito breeding grounds.

To help prevent the disease, Oshiomhole recommended that residents maintain clean surroundings, cover their water containers, use mosquito nets, apply insect repellents, and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

The briefing included representatives from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, the State Disease Surveillance Team, as well as officials from the Ministry of Health and other relevant stakeholders.

Additionally, the state has documented 137 confirmed cases and 24 fatalities from other outbreaks—two confirmed cases of yellow fever with one death, eight confirmed cases of monkeypox (Mpox) without deaths, and eight confirmed instances of diphtheria, resulting in three deaths.