Health authorities in Ghana are ramping up their surveillance systems in response to a significant increase in Monkeypox (Mpox) cases since the beginning of 2024.

The virus has been spreading to countries that were previously unaffected, prompting concern across the continent.

According to a statement from the World Health Organization (WHO), 15 African countries are currently experiencing outbreaks, with 2,030 confirmed cases and 13 deaths reported so far this year.

Dr Franklin Asiedu Bekoe, the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, emphasized the importance of raising public awareness about the virus.

"We should create the awareness so that when you have rashes on your body, you don’t assume that it is chickenpox; you have to go to the health facility for samples to be taken and we will confirm," he stated.

Dr Bekoe noted that the Mpox cases currently recorded in Ghana are not severe and are manageable.

He also mentioned that the Ghana Health Service will work on improving coordination between the African region and the country level to better handle the outbreak.