The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has confirmed a new case of Mpox in the Greater Accra Region, bringing the total number of recent cases in the country to three.
According to a report by myjoyonline.com, Dr. Dennis Laryea, Deputy Director of Public Health in charge of Disease Surveillance at the GHS, disclosed that the case was recorded last week. He stated, “There was one case confirmed in the Greater Accra Region. The region has conducted investigations so far. We haven’t identified any new cases, even among the contacts, but we’re still monitoring to determine if anyone develops symptoms. I don’t have the figures for the contacts offhand, but the case was confirmed last week.”
The GHS has assured the public that necessary measures are in place to monitor and contain the virus, with individuals who had contact with the latest case currently under observation.
The first Mpox case in Ghana was reported in August 2024 in the Western Region, where 25 contacts were identified. Shortly after, the patient’s mother also tested positive, raising the total to two cases as of October 31, 2024.
Despite the recent rise in cases, the GHS has reiterated its vigilance and commitment to disease control. According to the World Health Organization, Mpox—formerly known as monkeypox—is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, belonging to the genus Orthopoxvirus.
The virus exists in two distinct clades: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb). A global outbreak in 2022–2023 was attributed to the clade IIb strain. Symptoms of Mpox commonly include a rash or mucosal lesions lasting 2–4 weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.
The GHS continues to emphasize public health safety and the need for early detection to limit the spread of the virus.
