The number of confirmed Mpox cases in Ghana has risen to 45 as of Sunday, May 31, 2025, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced.Despite the sharp increase in cases, no deaths have been recorded with only two patients currently on admission.In an update issued yesterday on the Mpox situation across the country, the GHS attributed the rise in cases largely to enhanced surveillance efforts, particularly active contact tracing and in­creased public awareness."These efforts are crucial in our strategy to identify and isolate cases promptly within communities.

We remain commit­ted to maintaining this momen­tum to ensure that all cases are detected early, thereby helping to contain the outbreak effectively," the statement indicated.The GHS also encouraged the public to continue observing preventive measures diligently in order to help limit the spread of the disease.It advised that people avoid close contact with individuals showing symptoms of Mpox, maintain good personal hygiene and immediately visit the nearest health facility at the onset of any of the symptoms."Together, through vigilance and cooperation, we can control the spread of Mpox," the Service added.Formerly known as Monkey­pox, Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans and also between humans.Common symptoms include rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. Transmission occurs through close contact with infected indi­viduals, animals, or contaminated materials.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are two strains of the Mpox virus, Clade I and Clade II, driving case incidence globally.Both types spread in the same way and can be prevented using similar health and hygiene prac­tices.Globally, since the outbreak began, over 100,000 cases have been recorded in 122 countries, including 115 nations where Mpox had not previously been reported.African countries such as Bu­rundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia are currently experiencing sus­tained human-to-human trans­mission.Similar patterns have been observed in the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo.Since 2022, Ghana has record­ed over 170 Mpox cases.BY ABIGAIL ANNOH