In response to a recent Mpox outbreak affecting 15 African countries, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has intensified its surveillance measures to mitigate the risk of exposure in Ghana.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 2,030 Mpox cases and 13 deaths this year, a significant increase from the 1,145 cases and seven deaths recorded throughout 2023.
Since mid-July 2024, new cases have emerged in previously unaffected countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
Dr. Franklin Asiedu Bekoe, Director of Public Health Service at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), explained the disease’s transmission and symptoms in an interview with Adom FM stating that “Mpox is caused by a virus that spreads through direct contact with symptoms including fever, weakness, and skin rashes. We are fully prepared to manage any potential cases within Ghana,”
He further detailed that GHS is implementing screening measures for travelers at entry points to safeguard the population by rolling out robust mechanisms to monitor and screen travelers from high-risk regions to ensure the safety of Ghanaians.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Mpox outbreak in parts of Africa a public health emergency of international concern.
The disease, formerly known as monkeypox, has already claimed at least 450 lives in an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has spread to central and east Africa.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern about the rapid spread of a new variant and its high fatality rate, stating that “The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying.”
“A coordinated international response is essential to stop this outbreak and save lives. Mpox, transmitted through close contact, can cause flu-like symptoms, skin lesions, and has a fatality rate of about 4%. Vaccines are available but usually limited to those at high risk or in close contact with infected individuals,” he said.
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Source: Eric Sekyi/ATLFMNEWS
