170 Mpox Cases Reported, Vaccine Prioritized for Vulnerable
Ghana has recorded 170 Mpox cases across over 50 districts in 12 regions, primarily in Western, Western North, and Greater Accra, as of July 10, 2025, according to Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS). The GHS has traced 1,700 contacts, with only six becoming cases, and reported 1,200 suspected cases, all mild with no hospitalizations, per GhanaWeb.
Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe noted a declining rate of new cases, emphasizing early detection and surveillance. The GHS is collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO) to secure Mpox vaccines, with a meeting scheduled this week to finalize plans. Vaccines will be prioritized for at-risk groups, including those with compromised immune systems, healthcare workers, and close contacts of cases, following WHO’s recommendation for high-risk populations.
The outbreak, linked to the clade IIb strain, follows Ghana’s first 2024 case in Western North on October 1, with subsequent cases in Greater Accra. The WHO, which declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in August 2024, approved the MVA-BN vaccine to enhance access in Africa, where over 20,000 cases have been reported. Ghana’s proactive measures include intensified surveillance, contact tracing, and public hygiene campaigns.
GHS has urged handwashing, avoiding contact with symptomatic individuals, and reporting rashes, fever, or swollen lymph nodes to health facilities. With no deaths reported, Ghana’s health system remains vigilant, leveraging experience from 127 cases and four deaths in 2022–2023. The vaccine rollout aims to curb transmission, particularly in high-risk areas, as the GHS works to prevent a larger outbreak.
The situation underscores challenges in vaccine access, with no specific antiviral treatment available, though tecovirimat is used for severe cases. Ghana’s efforts align with WHO and Africa CDC strategies to enhance surveillance and community engagement, critical to controlling the virus’s spread in urban and high-mobility areas like Greater Accra.