The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced that no cases of Monkeypox (Mpox) have been recorded in Ghana. According to the GHS, recent reports suggesting an outbreak are due to data inaccuracies.
Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at GHS, clarified in an interview with the Daily Graphic that there are currently no reported cases of Mpox in the country.
His statement was in response to a report by the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (ECOWAS-RCSDC), which indicated that four confirmed Mpox cases had been reported in Ghana.
Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe explained that while Ghana had indeed experienced 120 cases in 2022 and eight cases in 2023, there have been no new cases in 2024. He emphasized that the ongoing measures against the disease are purely precautionary.
Mpox, a zoonotic disease related to smallpox, is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals or through close human-to-human interaction involving respiratory droplets or bodily fluids.
In response to the World Health Organisation’s recent declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), Ghana’s Ministry of Health has activated an emergency response plan. This includes enhanced surveillance at Points of Entry, such as airports and border crossings, and increased community vigilance. The public is encouraged to visit healthcare facilities for any symptoms or concerns related to Mpox.
An August 16, 2024, report from the African Centre for Disease Control (CDC) highlights that Africa has recorded 3,101 confirmed cases, 15,636 suspected cases, and 541 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 2.89% across 12 African Union member states. Symptoms of Mpox typically appear within 5 to 16 days post-exposure and can include fever, headache, muscle aches, and a distinctive rash.
