US denies spreading monkeypox through Nigerian Laboratories

The US government has refuted the assertion that the current global outbreak of monkeypox disease is due to “US-controlled facilities” in Nigeria, underlining that such laboratories do not exist in the nation.

On social media, there have been speculations about the source of the current global outbreak of monkeypox disease, as well as a call for the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate “US-controlled laboratories” in Nigeria.
The US government, through its consulate in Lagos, said in a press release made available to LEADERSHIP that such stories were pure fiction, and that any charges about the use of US-assisted Nigerian laboratories in the spread of monkeypox had no basis.

It said, “There are no “US-controlled” laboratories in Nigeria. These falsehoods detract from the work that the United States, in close coordination with Nigerian and multilateral partners, accomplish together on public health, including in disease surveillance, diagnosis, prevention, and control.”

The US government stated that the collaboration between Nigeria and the US provided opportunities for technical assistance in capacity building, equipment, commodities, consumables, and funding to critical public health programs, hospitals, and laboratories, all of which helped to prevent and mitigate global disease outbreaks.
Monkey pox is not a new disease, nor is it specific to Nigeria or this region, according to the report, which first appeared in the DRC in 1970.

“As we work together to contain its spread, exported cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, United States, and other parts of the world,” it explained.

“Such reports are pure fabrication. There is zero merit to any allegations regarding the use of U.S.-assisted Nigerian laboratories in the spread of monkeypox.  Furthermore, there are no “U.S.-controlled” laboratories in Nigeria.
“These laboratories are Nigerian, and U.S. support enables them to provide essential services for the public good and the health of Nigeria’s citizens. Especially important, our support to laboratories across the country extends to quality improvements that ensure they have appropriate levels of biosafety and biosecurity requirements in place.

“We will continue to collaborate with the Nigerian government on the ongoing global monkeypox and COVID-19 outbreaks and intensify support to Nigeria in other areas on which we have proudly partnered over the years, such as HIV epidemic control, tuberculosis eradication, malaria elimination, prevention of vaccine-preventable disease, and enhancing food and nutrition,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, following the confirmed reappearance of monkeypox in Nigeria and the death of one individual with co-morbidity, the federal government has encouraged hunters and dealers to stop eating bushmeat immediately.

According to a press statement issued in Abuja by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, the order was necessary to prevent the infection from spreading throughout Nigeria due to the habit of trading and buying bush meat.

The minister also recommended Nigerians to avoid contact with anyone who are suspected of having monkeypox at home and at work, as well as to discourage the eating, trade, and keeping of non-human primates and rodents as pets in their homes.
He said, “All operators of zoos, parks, conservation and recreational centres keeping non-human primates in their domains must ensure strict compliance with their biosecurity protocols aimed at preventing their contacts with humans and all veterinary clinics, veterinary teaching hospitals and other veterinary health institutions across the country must ensure vigilance so as to be able to pick possible signs and symptoms of monkeypox in non-human primate (NHP) patients.
“Transport of wild animals and their products within and across the borders should be suspended/restricted and silos, stores and other agricultural storage facilities must institute active rodent control measures to prevent contacts and possible contamination of monkeypox virus with foodstuff.

“We must also ensure regular hand washing using strong disinfectant anytime we handle NHP and rodents in our various locations and the general public are hereby advised to report any pox-like lesions seen on humans or animals to the nearest human or veterinary clinics respectively.”