One person has been confirmed dead of the Monkeypox disease in the Upper Eastern Region.
The Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Emmanuel Kofi Dzotsi who confirmed this to the media at the weekend said it was the first case to be recorded in the region.
“I can confirm that we have recorded one case of the disease but unfortunately the person has died… The confirmed case was detected on the 22nd of July, 2022 at the Upper East Regional Hospital, with the patient having a history of fever and skin rash. Unfortunately, the patient died on 26th July 2022,” he said.
According to him, samples were taken on 22nd July 2022 for confirmation at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Accra. However, feedback was received on the 28th of July, 2022, indicating the sample tested positive for the Monkeypox disease.
So far thirteen contacts have been traced and are being monitored.
Dr. Dzotsi indicated that plans are underway to educate the public against contracting the disease.
Six regions in Ghana, the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Eastern, and Upper West have so far recorded cases of Monkeypox with Greater Accra having more than 50% of the disease.
Monkeypox symptoms as explained by the World Health Organisation
The most common symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. This is followed or accompanied by the development of a rash which can last for two to three weeks. The rash can be found on the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, eyes, mouth, throat, groin, and genital and/or anal regions of the body. The number of lesions can range from one to several thousand. Lesions begin flat, then fill with liquid before they crust over, dry up and fall off, with a fresh layer of skin forming underneath.
Symptoms typically last two to three weeks and usually go away on their own or with supportive care, such as medication for pain or fever. People remain infectious until all of the lesions have crusted over, the scabs fallen off and a new layer of skin has formed underneath.
Anyone who has symptoms that could be monkeypox or who has been in contact with someone who has monkeypox should call or visit a health care provider and seek their advice.
Source: ATLFMNEWS
