Ghana has recorded eight deaths and 1,038 confirmed cases of Mpox since the outbreak began in May 2025, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has disclosed.
The minister made this known in Parliament while responding to questions from Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin regarding the rising number of cases reported across more than 120 districts nationwide.
According to Mr Akandoh, as of March 3, 2026, Ghana had confirmed 1,038 cases of the disease, formerly known as monkeypox, with eight fatalities recorded. He noted that the deaths were largely among individuals with underlying health conditions.
“Currently, there is only one case on admission, and we have no critical cases,” the minister added.
The outbreak has affected 124 districts across all 16 regions, representing about 47.51% of the country. The Greater Accra and Western Regions remain the most impacted.
The Ministry of Health, through the Ghana Health Service and with support from partners, has activated a coordinated multi-sectoral response to interrupt transmission and safeguard public health.
Key interventions include strengthened coordination and emergency operations, intensified surveillance, contact tracing with 21-day follow-ups, and sustained laboratory testing at facilities such as the National Public Health Reference Laboratory, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research.
Case management, infection prevention and control measures have been reinforced, while community engagement has been ramped up through public education, collaboration with community leaders, civil society organisations, and the media.
On vaccination efforts, Mr Akandoh revealed that reactive vaccinations have targeted high-risk contacts in identified hotspots. Ghana received 33,600 Mpox vaccines from Africa CDC and WHO, with 31,231 persons vaccinated across 12 districts in the Ashanti, Greater Accra, and Western Regions—achieving over 95% coverage of the target population.
The minister emphasised the government’s commitment to patient care, stating that all medical bills related to Mpox treatment during the outbreak are fully covered by the state, with no costs passed on to affected individuals.
“The interventions are yielding results,” he said. “Although sporadic cases have been recorded over the past two months, the overall trend shows a significant decline following the introduction of vaccination.”
Mr Akandoh urged Parliament and the public to support the ongoing response by providing accurate information and sustaining efforts to strengthen the country’s health security architecture.