The Ghana Health Service has urged the general public to get vaccinated and take other needed precautions against yellow fever due to a suspected outbreak in the Savannah Region.

In a press release, the Service said already, eight persons have met their untimely death after contracting the disease.

“The affected persons are nomads in selected communities in West and North Gonja of the region who have never been vaccinated against yellow fever,” the statement signed by the Director-General Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye read.

“The disease is presumed to be Yellow Fever and samples have been shipped for final confirmation. Tests for other Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers like Ebola, Lassa, Marburg and Zika are all negative.

The Health Service stated that it is important that the public, especially persons in the Savanah Region who are yet to receive a vaccine or Yellow Fever, do so.

The Service added that people should also avoid mosquito bites by wearing clothing that cover all parts of the body and report to the nearest health facility if they have a fever and/or yellowish discolouration of the eyes.

The GHS stated that, “we are particularly asking all persons from that part of the region who have a fever, general weakness, headache, nausea and vomiting to immediately report to the nearest health facility.”

The Service has also sent a team of experts from Ghana Health Service, Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Ghana, World Health Organization (WHO) Ghana, and Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) to support health officials in the the region to investigate and institute appropriate control measures.

“We will keep the general public updated on the outcome of the investigations and also on the final laboratory confirmation.”