The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has allayed fears that the confirmed case of Mpox in the Western North Region, is severe.
According to Dr Franklin Aseidu Bekoe, the Director of Public Health at the GHS, while there are over 230 cases in 88 districts, the focus remains on the single confirmed case, which is under control..
The diagnosis was verified by the National Public Health and Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) on October 1, 2024, after laboratory tests on a suspected case reported from the region.
Speaking on Eyewitness News with Selorm Adonoo, on Thursday, October 3, 2024, Dr Aseidu Bekoe noted that measures are being put in place to curb the spread.
He explained further that to prevent the spread of the disease, the public must avoid bodily contact with persons who have been affected.
“Here samples were collected and sent to our labs. For Mpox we have two labs that can confirm; our reference lab and Noguchi. So, this was sent to the reference lab and it was confirmed.
“I need to state that there is news going on that there are about 230 cases in 88 districts. Our focus should be on this one confirmed case, I will say it is not a severe case. So, it was seen and they started [treatment] on the second day. This child, a 16-year-old male is fine.
“What we are trying to do is that we identified contacts. These contacts were health workers and friends and in total, we have 25 of them and they are being followed,” he stated.
What you need to know about the Mpox Disease, a WHO report explains
Mpox is an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick.
Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV). It is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family, which includes variola, cowpox, vaccinia and other viruses. There are two distinct clades of the virus: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb).
A global outbreak of clade IIb began in 2022 and continues to this day, including in some African countries. There are also growing outbreaks of clades Ia and Ib affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in Africa. As of August 2024, clade Ib has also been detected beyond Africa.
The natural reservoir of the virus is unknown, but various small mammals such as squirrels and monkeys are susceptible.
Key facts
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. There are two distinct clades of the virus: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb). In 2022–2023 a global outbreak of mpox was caused by the clade IIb strain.
Mpox continues to be a threat today, and an upsurge of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries caused by clades Ia and Ib has raised concern.
There are vaccines for mpox. Vaccination should be considered along with other public health interventions.
Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
Mpox can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has mpox, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals. During pregnancy, the virus may be passed to the fetus, or to the newborn during or after birth.
Mpox is treated with supportive care for symptoms such as pain and fever, with close attention to nutrition, hydration, skin care, prevention of secondary infections and treatment of co-infections, including HIV where present.
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