The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says it has increased its surveillance in the wake of the outbreak of the Mpox disease in some 15 African countries.

This, according to the GHS, is to ensure the country minimizes its exposure.

Currently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed a total of 2030 cases and 13 deaths this year compared with 1145 cases and seven deaths in the whole of 2023.

Four countries – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda – previously unaffected by Mpox have reported cases since mid-July 2024.

Although the disease is rare, it can be deadly.

Subsequently, the Africa CDC has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern after record surge in cases this year, especially in Congo DR.

Touching on this, the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Franklin Asiedu Bekoe asked Ghanaians to be extra cautious about rashes on their skin.

"We are going to activate our surveillance system. We are actually going to make it in such a way that there is high awareness among Ghanaians so they do not assume every rash on their body is chicken-pox. So we are going to improve on our coordination," he stressed.

Dr. Franklin Asiedu Bekoe also said it was wrong for Ghana to be listed on the website of Africa CDC as one of 15 countries with confirmed Mpox cases in Africa, when the last case recorded was in 2023.

"In Ghana, our last case was in April 2023 and so far as we have had some in the past we are going to activate our system on such cases and manage them," he added.