Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has sounded the alarm on the escalating Mpox situation in Ghana, revealing that the country has recorded 1,038 confirmed cases and eight deaths since a new outbreak emerged in May 2025.
Addressing Parliament on Monday, the Minister provided a sobering update on the virus’s geographic reach. Mpox is now present in 124 districts spanning all 16 regions of the country. While the spread is nationwide, the Greater Accra and Western Regions remain the primary hotspots, reporting the highest concentration of infections.
The data indicates a significant uptick in transmission over the last quarter. By late November 2025, Ghana had reported 880 cases. However, in the three months leading up to March 3, 2026, that number jumped to 1,038.
The Minister noted that the eight fatalities recorded so far were largely among individuals with pre-existing underlying health conditions.
In a bid to curb the spread and support affected families, Minister Akandoh announced that the government is covering the medical bills of the infected to ensure financial barriers do not prevent citizens from seeking life-saving care.
As part of containment measures, Ghana has received 33,600 doses of Mpox vaccines from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. Vaccination campaigns have been rolled out in 12 districts across the Ashanti Region, Greater Accra Region, and Western Region.
The Minister urged Members of Parliament to act as health ambassadors within their constituencies to combat misinformation. Mpox spreads through close physical contact or contaminated materials, with symptoms including fever, painful rashes, headaches, and swollen lymph nodes.
Health officials are urging anyone experiencing these symptoms to report to the nearest facility immediately to prevent further community transmission.