MONKEY POX -What we know

Monkeypox is a viral infection, so-called because it was first discovered in monkeys. It is transmissible from animals to humans and is endemic in parts of Central and West Africa. Over the last few weeks cases of monkeypox have been recorded in several countries beyond the African continent as such there is growing concern about its spread.

Mode of transmission

Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as bedding. It can also be transmitted through contact with sick animals.

Clinical Picture

 The symptoms of monkeypox are similar to smallpox and include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion
• Generalized rash which starts 1-3 days after symptom onset

The illness lasts anywhere between 2-4 weeks and is more often mild than not, like most viral infections, it will run its course. An antiviral, Tecovirimat previously developed for smallpox is in use in some parts of Europe.  Generally, supportive treatment with fluids and antipyretics/analgesics are recommended to manage accompanying fever, aches and pains.

Prevention

• Avoid contact with sick animals.
• Avoid contact with any materials that have been in contact with a sick animal.

• Isolate infected patients from others who could be at risk for infection.
• Practice good hand hygiene.
• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients.

For more information, visit

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON390

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND RETURNING TO THE OFFICE

Following the successful development and deployment of several highly effective COVID-19 vaccines, employers are refocusing their attention on the other elephant in the room, returning to work. The onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic saw most businesses switch to an entirely remote model of working, and as we continue to understand the virus and its many iterations, it appears that more and more people are returning or considering a return to the office.

What is your strategy?

Whether you plan to return to full-time office work, continue telecommuting or adopt a hybrid model, one thing is sure; a plan must be in place to maintain the health, safety, and wellbeing of your workforce. More than ever before, employees are gravitating to workplaces that demonstrate the prioritization of their health and wellbeing. In addition, employers now understand that organizational productivity is a given when employees both feel and see that their wellbeing is as important to their employers as their productivity.

How can we help?

STRIPES will collaborate with you to develop a plan that ensures that your employees return to the office or continue remote or hybrid work with measures in place to guarantee their health and safety. Our bespoke return-to-work plan addresses pertinent issues such as Indoor Air Quality, COVID-19  Infection Prevention Planning, Exposure Preparedness, Ergonomic Assessments of Workstations, Health Needs Assessments, to name a few.

Contact us today for more information!

COVID-19 & The OmicronVariant: What we Know

On November 24, 2021, a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.529, was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). This new variant was first detected in specimens collected on November 11, 2021, in Botswana and on November 14, 2021, in South Africa.

On November 26, 2021, WHO named the B.1.1.529 Omicron and classified it as a Variant of Concern (VOC). The Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) is collaborating with its counterparts globally as well as the World Health Organization to learn about this new variant and has recorded 6 cases infected with the omicron variant to date. Despite the increased attention on Omicron, the Delta variant, however, remains the dominant variant circulating in Nigeria and across the globe.

What We Know about Omicron

Infection and Spread

How easily does Omicron spread? The Omicron variant likely will spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus however its transmissibility in comparison to the Delta variant remains unknown. 

Will Omicron cause more severe illness? More data is needed to know if Omicron infections, and especially reinfections and breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated, cause more severe illness or death than infection with other variants.

Will vaccines work against Omicron? Current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant. However, breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are likely to occur. With other variants, like Delta, vaccines have remained effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. The recent emergence of Omicron further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters.

Tackling Omicron

Vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19 and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging. COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. Scientists are currently investigating Omicron, including how much protection fully vaccinated people will have against infection, hospitalization, and death. Currently, less than 2% of Nigeria’s population is fully vaccinated.

 Masks and other NPI measures continue to offer protection against all variants.

Here’s what you can do to stay safe:

Ensure you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Visit www.nphcda.vaccination.gov.ng to identify accredited vaccination centers near you. 

If you received two doses of Astra Zeneca, Moderna, or Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines 6 or more months ago or the Johnson and Johnson single-dose vaccine two or more months ago, please visit an accredited vaccination center to receive a booster dose. Booster doses will be available nationwide from December 10^th, 2021.

Adhere to all previously recommended nonpharmaceutical interventions such as the use of a face mask, maintaining adequate hand and respiratory hygiene, and the avoidance of large crowds especially during this festive season.

Stay informed by relying on credible sources of information via social and news media.

Encourage your family, friends, and loved ones to do the above.

Together, we can beat this.

*The figures quoted were valid at the time of publication

World HIV Day 2021

MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR ALL, LET’S MAKE IT A REALITY.

Every year on the 10th of October, we commemorate World Mental Health Day, a day set aside to raise awareness about mental health issues globally.

The conversation around Mental health has become even more pertinent in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has brought with it changes to the way we live and work along with a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of many. Worries about our health, the economy, and uncertainty about the future due to the pandemic are just a few of the issues that can take a toll on our mental health. Amid all these, it is necessary to pause for a moment and consider what we can do to protect and promote our mental health as well as that of others.

The theme for this year is “Mental health care for all, let’s make it a reality”.

To achieve mental health for all, we must first start with mental health for one, you and I because as they say little drops of water make an ocean. When we take care of ourselves then we are in a better position to provide support to others because no one can pour from an empty cup.

Taking Care of Yourself

• Check-in with yourself regularly; “How am I feeling?” Stressed, Tired, Anxious? Sad? Happy? Grateful?
• Ask reflective questions such as: “Why am I feeling this way?” Identifying the reason(s) you feel the way you do is a crucial step towards finding relief or resolution.
• “What can I change and what should I accept?” This allows you to identify an action plan , taking action reduces feelings of helplessness.
• Make time for relationships, rest, and recovery.
• Seek professional help when required. Just as we seek help for physical ailments when we know we have exceeded our capacity for care, we should seek help for mental illness without reservations too.

Looking Out for others

• Pay attention to others by demonstrating empathy and offering a listening ear whenever possible.
• Educate yourself about mental health to get rid of subconscious or conscious biases and stigmatizing behaviour.
• Identify those struggling around you and where possible, counsel them to seek professional help.
• Role model self-care in your day-to-day activities so others can learn from you.

Mental health for all will become a reality only if we work together to make it happen. It begins with you and me.

World Hepatitis Day.

Follow this link to learn more about hepatitis.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/hepatitis#tab=tab_1

COVID-19 and Your Mental Health.

UPDATE ON COVID-19 IN NIGERIA II

https://www.ncdc.gov.ng/news/243/five-new-cases-of-coronavirus-disease-%28covid-19%29-confirmed-in-nigeria

This article was originally published by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control.

This article was originally published by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control.

| www.ncdc.gov.ng | www.who.int

For updates on COVID-19 statistics, please follow the link below:

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

UPDATE ON COVID-19 IN NIGERIA

Two new developments have taken place since the last briefing in Abuja on the coronavirus situation in Nigeria.

The first is that a team of researchers from various institutions in Nigeria, including scientists from the Centre for Human and Zoology Virology in LUTH, African Centre for Genomics of Infectious Diseases in Redeemers University and the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) Lagos, combined their efforts to successfully perform the genome sequencing of the coronavirus strain that the index case brought to Nigeria and proved it to be a match with the virus circulating in Italy and Wuhan. This was coordinated by the Lagos State Ministry of Health and NCDC. It is the first time the sequencing of this virus has been performed in Africa. The result has been shared with International Authorities and the Director-General of the World Health Organization has extended congratulations to Nigerian scientists for this achievement.

The other development is that contact tracing and monitoring in respect of the coronavirus index case presently receiving treatment in Lagos, has been diligently and conscientiously pursued since 27 February when the case was first diagnosed. A total of 217 contacts were linked to the index case. Of the 217, 45 traveled out of Nigeria and 172 are presently in Nigeria. Of the 172 contacts currently in Nigeria, 69 are in Lagos, 40 in Ogun and 52 in other States, with 11 in unknown locations.

Nevertheless, the Federal Ministry of Health, following best practice, decided to test these persons for the possible presence of coronavirus in their systems. On 8th March 2020, scientists confirmed the presence of coronavirus in one of the contacts. It is my duty, therefore, to announce a new case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria The newly confirmed case is an Ogun State contact of the index case, but he has no significant clinical symptoms. This brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria today to two.

Since the beginning of the outbreak in China and subsequent spread to other countries, one of the important response strategies at the containment stage, has been to identify all contacts, ensure their strict isolation and to follow up daily with checks for any symptoms of the disease. Following recent experience from other countries and evidence from newly published studies on non-symptomatic infections, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control NCDC, advised that samples should be taken from all contacts of the Index case for testing. It is in this process that this new case was detected.

I repeat that the newly confirmed case in Nigeria is not a new importation, but a contact of the Index case, who has since been in isolation and was under clinical follow-up. He presently does not have any clinical symptoms, is comfortable and in care at Infectious Disease Hospital, Lagos.

Recent studies in China have shown that increased surveillance, contact tracing, and isolation reduces the risk of spread because further opportunities for transmission of the virus by the infected patient in the community are limited.

All other contacts of the index case in Ogun and Lagos will remain in isolation and testing will be carried out on those not yet tested, including some in other states.

On the case reported in the US of Nigerian origin, we are in touch with colleagues at the US Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and here in Abuja. The case visited Lagos in February 2020. However, given the timelines between the time, he was in Nigeria briefly and when he became ill, the likelihood that he was infected in Lagos is very low.

The Federal Ministry of Health, and Lagos and Ogun State Health Ministries assure citizens of our commitment to do all needed to control the spread of this outbreak. Since the first case was confirmed in Nigeria on the 27th of February 2020, the National Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) in Abuja, continues to work closely with Lagos and Ogun State EOCs to coordinate response activities.

I again strongly advise against spreading misinformation to cause fear and panic. The Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC will continue to provide prompt and reliable updates and initiate all measures required to protect our people.

A globally emerging lesson here is that some people who contracted COVID-19 appear to experience zero or only mild illness and will recover; however, other patients develop more severe symptoms, especially if they have other underlying illnesses, or are weakened by old age. I urge Nigerians to take care of their health and protect others by continuing to do the following:

• Regularly and thoroughly wash hands with soap & water for at least 30 seconds, if not possible use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

• Maintain at least 2 metres (5 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing repeatedly.

• Be sure you and people around you follow good respiratory hygiene, meaning, to cover the mouth and nose with a tissue or handkerchief if coughing or sneezing and disposing of used tissue immediately. Alternatively, use your bent elbow when you cough or sneeze, when no tissue is available.

• Do not mingle with people or congregate, but instead stay at home if you feel unwell with symptoms like fever, cough, sneezing, or difficulty in breathing.

• Please call NCDC toll-free number which is available 24/7 for guidance- 080097000010.

• Do not engage in lengthy self-medication

Stay informed on the latest developments about COVID-19 through official channels including Lagos State Ministry of Health, Ogun State Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Federal Ministry of Health.

Thank you for your attention.

Dr. E. Osagie Ehanire MD, FWACS

Honorable Minister of Health

https://www.ncdc.gov.ng/news/243/five-new-cases-of-coronavirus-disease-%28covid-19%29-confirmed-in-nigeria

This article was originally published by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control.

| www.ncdc.gov.ng | www.who.int

For updates on COVID-19 statistics, please follow the link below:

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Covid -19 UPDATE.

One case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Nigeria on 27th February 2020.

Global situation: As of 29th February 2020, a total of 85,403 confirmed cases reported (95.5%cases in China); 2,924 deaths; 49 countries affected; three countries affected in Africa: Egypt, Algeria, and Nigeria.

This article was originally published by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control.

| www.ncdc.gov.ng | www.who.int

For updates on COVID-19 statistics, please follow the link below:

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6