The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has assured the public that the yellow fever outbreak in Ghana is under control, urging residents to remain calm as health authorities intensify surveillance and vaccination efforts.

Briefing the media on the outbreak, he disclosed that 450 suspected cases had been recorded across the country’s 16 regions, including 88 in the Upper West Region.

The Minister noted that of the suspected cases reported in the Upper West Region, three have been confirmed by the reference laboratory at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

The suspected cases were recorded in several areas, including Wa West, which reported 27 cases; Sissala West, 23; Sissala East, 21; Efiama Msua Busa, seven; Nadowli-Kaleo, one; Wa East, one; and Wa West Municipal, one. Seven additional cases were reported in the Funsi area.

Health authorities are also investigating reported deaths in connection with the outbreak. However, the Minister noted that the deaths could not be attributed to yellow fever without laboratory confirmation.

Mr Akandoh said the government was expanding vaccination beyond routine childhood immunisation to cover people aged nine months to 60 years in affected areas.

He disclosed that an additional 187,000 doses of the vaccine had been requested to support the exercise, with vaccination teams preparing to begin the campaign in the Upper West Region.

The Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, explained that yellow fever is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes and does not spread directly from person to person.

He said symptoms include fever, headache, body pains and abdominal discomfort, while severe cases could result in bleeding.

Dr Asiedu-Bekoe urged the public to take precautions against mosquito bites by using repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing and trousers, and sleeping under mosquito nets.

He particularly cautioned residents to protect themselves during the day, when mosquitoes that transmit yellow fever are active.

The Health Minister also warned against misinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding vaccines, urging the public to rely on official health information and cooperate with authorities during the vaccination campaign.