The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced a rise in Mpox (Monkeypox) cases, bringing the total number recorded in the country to eight. The development has prompted renewed public health concerns about potential local transmission.
The Deputy Director of Surveillance at the GHS, Dr Dennis Odai Laryea, disclosed the figures in an interview with Channel One Television.
He noted that the cases were currently concentrated in the Greater Accra and Western regions, with four cases reported in each area.
“We have had over 100 suspected cases, and it is out of this number that eight have been confirmed. This is the essence of our surveillance system—detecting and acting before confirmation,” he explained.
Dr Laryea added that the Ghana Health Service remained vigilant in all 16 regions and was actively monitoring infections.
The latest figures bring the national total for 2025 to nine confirmed cases, including one isolated case recorded earlier in the year that was successfully contained.
He also pointed out the diagnostic challenges due to the similarity in symptoms between Mpox and chickenpox, stressing the need for laboratory testing to ensure accurate diagnosis. “To the untrained eye, both diseases can look similar,” he said.
Mpox is a contagious viral disease transmitted through close contact with infected individuals, animals, or contaminated materials. Symptoms typically include rashes, fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fatigue and body aches.
In response to the outbreak, Dr Laryea urged the public to maintain strict personal hygiene, avoid direct contact with individuals showing visible rashes, and promptly report any suspected cases to the nearest health facility.
