Ghana has recorded its first Monkeypox death since the disease’s outbreak in the country.
After suspicion, the case, confirmed in the Upper East Region on Friday, July 22, tested positive at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR).
“This is the region’s first confirmed case,” said Upper East Regional Director of Health Services Dr. Emmanuel Kofi Dzotsi in a statement issued over the weekend.
“The confirmed case was seen at the Upper East Regional Hospital on July 22, 2022, with a history of fever and skin rash.”
“Unfortunately, the [patient] passed away on July 26, 2022.”
“Samples were taken on the 22nd of July 2022 for confirmation at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Accra. We received feedback on the 28th of July, 2022, indicating the sample tested positive for the Monkeypox disease.”
Thirteen contacts have so far been traced and are being monitored.
Surveillance has also been mounted in the Region, according to the Health Directorate, and all health emergency response teams have been activated to contain the disease.
No new cases have been recorded as of Sunday, July 31, Dr Kofi Dzotsi’s statement noted.
The World Health Organisation on Friday, July 22 declared the Monkeypox outbreak an international emergency.
Ghana has so far recorded more than 30 cases since Wednesday, June 8 when the first five cases were announced by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye.
