In the last week alone, twenty-three new cases were reported, raising the total to 257 since the virus was initially identified in Ghana in June 2022.
This represents the highest weekly increase since the outbreak commenced and marks the first death recorded in the nation.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh informed AFP that the situation is manageable. He stressed the importance of early detection and responsible behavior in curbing the outbreak.
Mpox, previously referred to as Monkeypox, is a viral illness related to smallpox. It leads to symptoms such as fever, body aches, and characteristic skin lesions, and can be fatal. The disease is transmitted through close physical contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.
A public health agency in Ghana is set to receive Mpox vaccines from the World Health Organization this week. Franklyn Asiedu-Bekoe, a director at the agency, mentioned that populations at risk have been identified, and vaccination efforts will commence as soon as the doses arrive.
The situation in Ghana mirrors a wider trend throughout West Africa, where health officials are facing challenges in controlling the disease. This year, thousands of cases have been reported in the region, including Sierra Leone, which documented 3,350 cases and 16 fatalities from January to late May.
Other nations like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Burundi have also seen thousands of cases this year, as reported by the World Health Organization. Data from the Africa CDC released last week indicates over 47,000 confirmed cases and 221 deaths across the continent since January of last year, with at least 27,000 cases recorded in 2025 alone.Last month, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the virus an international health emergency in response to the escalating number of cases in West Africa.