Isolation, social distancing, good hygiene essential to stop Mpox spread
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has advised Ghanaians to practise good hand hygiene and avoid close contact with suspected cases of monkeypox (Mpox) or infected individuals.
It said those were key steps that could be taken to stop the spread of the virus in the communities.
Addressing journalists during an online sensitisation programme, the GHS officials said the virus was transmitted primarily through direct skin contact, contaminated materials or respiratory droplets.
Consequently, Ghanaians must seek medical attention for any unexplained rash, especially when accompanied by fever and swollen lymph nodes.
Those who addressed the journalists included the Director-General of the GHS, Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, and the Director for Public Health, Dr Frank Asiedu-Bekoe.
They emphasised that not every rash was heat rash, hence individuals should get checked early for Mpox, a viral disease, if they have skin rashes, fever and swollen lymph nodes.
Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are said to be susceptible to Mpox.
The director-general emphasised the importance of contact tracing, saying “Once a case is confirmed, we trace and monitor their contacts daily to detect early signs of infection.”
That, he said, was essential for breaking the chain of transmission.
“The virus typically spreads through physical contact — either with skin lesions, bodily fluids or contaminated materials such as clothing, bedding and towels,” he said, urging all confirmed Mpox patients and their close contacts to adhere strictly to isolation protocols, avoid sharing personal items and limit interactions with others to reduce the risk of secondary infections.
Capability
Prof. Akoriyea affirmed that the country had the capacity for Mpox testing and the technical capability to conduct genomic sequencing to support the containment of the ongoing outbreak.
He said the National Public Health Reference Laboratory was leading that effort with critical support from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research.
As of May 31, this year, there were 347 suspected Mpox cases, with confirmed cases rising to 45.
He said despite the increase in cases, no deaths had been recorded, with only two patients currently on admission.
The DG of GHS said suspected cases of Mpox had been reported across all 16 regions, a development he attributed to heightened public awareness resulting from nationwide health education efforts.
Understanding Mpox
For his part, Dr Asiedu-Bekoe urged Ghanaians to remain vigilant but calm.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said most people knew the disease as monkeypox, which suggested it came only from monkeys, which was inaccurate.
He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) renamed it “Mpox” to reflect its zoonotic origins — it resides in animals and can be transmitted to humans.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said traditionally, Mpox transmission occurred through direct contact with infected animals; however, in the current outbreak, human-to-human transmission has become more prevalent.
