Consumers of bushmeat in Bayelsa said on Sunday that they are not perturbed by the outbreak of monkeypox a viral disease transmitted from wild animals to humans which was reported a forthnight ago and has infected at least 13 people.
It will be recalled that Prof Ebitimitula Etebu, Bayelsa Commisioner of Health in Bayelsa had on Friday announced that the number of reported cases at the isolation centre created to care for the victims has risen fro 11 to 13.
River Commisioner of Health Prof. Princewill Chike had at the weekend confirmed that the disease which was reported a forthnight ago in Bayelsa has spread to neighbouring Rivers with three cases so far reported.
Meanwhile Cross River said on Sunday that it was increasing health surveillance to prevent the spread of the disease.
Etebu who assured that the situation was under control urged residents to be vigilant and wash hands after contact with wild animals who are the primary vectors for the monkeypox virus.
Some of the residents who spoke on the advice from medical experts to curb spread of the virus urged the government to lay emphasis on hygiene and not to blacklist bushmeat.
Checks in Yenagoa and Ogbia areas in Bayelsa on Sunday indicate that business is still thriving at bushmeat joints and restaurants that serve the delicacy.
Bushmeat joints visited in Yenagoa and Otuoke still enjoy patronage despite warning from health practioners following the outbreak of monkeypox that the disease emanates from wild animals.
Mr Endurance Frank, said he still eats bush meat, and dismissed the views that eating bushmeat posses dange of contacting monkeypox adding that he does not believe that the disease is caused by bush meat.
"This is how they said Ebola is caused by bush meat. We wash ours here and cook it very well, the government officials who are handling the campaign against the disease should not use their job to kill the business of others.
"It is common knowledge that when bushmeat is cooked well no virus can survive it, so their message should rather be on advising people to ensure they cook bushmeat properly and the same is true for all types of meat.
"Even medical doctors from Federal Medical Centre, Otuoke outreach come here in Nikky's Bar.
"So why do they still come even as at Friday night, they were here and we enjoyed bushmeat together," Frank said.
He urged the Federal Government to support those that have been isolated and ensure that the public is encouraged to maintain high hygiene standards as a preventive measure.
Another resident who patronises bushmeat joints, Mr Felix Okpu, said even the outbreak of the disease would not deter him from eating bushmeat adding that he was going to have his bushmeat delicacy at his favourite restaurant in Yenagoa.
"I must commend Bayelsa government for taking steps to curb the disease, but it is not enough to say that bushmeat is the cause rather they should educate people on how to handle meat generally and not single out bushmeat which is our favourite here in Bayelsa," he said.
Mrs Ogidobor Digha who operates a bushmeat bar in Otuoke, Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa said her business is still thriving and yet to be affected by the outbreak of the monkeypox virus disease.
She said that local hunters who supply her with assorted bushmeat still supply her with bush.
"I believe the disease is not caused by the bush meat in our bush here, Bush meat cannot be transmitting such disease in our environment here, and also we take extracare in preparing and handling the meat and also we allow it to cook properly," she said.
It will be recalled that Bayelsa Commisioner of Health had on Friday said that two out of the 13 patients quarantined at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri in Yenagoa has been treated while the rest are at various stages of recovery.
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