Ghana Records 1,038 Mpox Cases and Eight Deaths Since May 2025 Outbreak

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has disclosed that Ghana has recorded eight deaths and more than 1,000 confirmed cases of Mpox since a fresh outbreak began in May 2025.

Speaking in Parliament, the minister revealed that the country has so far confirmed 1,038 cases of the disease. He was responding to questions from Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin regarding the growing number of infections reported across the country.

Mr Akandoh explained that the outbreak has affected 124 districts nationwide, representing about 47.51 percent of the country’s districts. The Greater Accra Region and Western Region have recorded the highest number of cases.

He noted that the government, through the Ghana Health Service and with support from partners, activated a coordinated multi sectoral response to contain the outbreak and protect public health.

“Since the outbreak began in May 2025, the Ministry of Health has implemented several interventions aimed at interrupting transmission,” Mr Akandoh told Parliament.

According to him, the most recent update as of March 3, 2026 shows that eight deaths have been recorded, mostly among individuals with underlying health conditions. He added that only one patient is currently on admission and no critical cases have been reported.

The minister outlined a number of measures implemented to control the outbreak, including enhanced surveillance, intensive contact tracing with 21 day follow ups, and expanded laboratory testing.

Testing continues at key national facilities such as the National Public Health Reference Laboratory, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research.

Mr Akandoh also highlighted the role of public education and community engagement, noting that authorities are working with community leaders, civil society groups, and the media to increase awareness about prevention and early detection.

On vaccination efforts, he said Ghana received 33,600 Mpox vaccine doses from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

He stated that 31,231 people in 12 districts across the Ashanti Region, Greater Accra Region, and Western Region have already been vaccinated, achieving more than 95 percent coverage of the targeted population.

The minister assured Parliament that the government is covering all medical costs related to Mpox treatment during the outbreak.

“No patient will bear the cost of treatment,” he said.

Mr Akandoh added that the interventions are producing positive results, with a noticeable decline in infections since the introduction of vaccination, although a few sporadic cases have been reported in recent months.

He urged members of Parliament to support the national response by helping to provide accurate public information and strengthen Ghana’s health security systems.