MPOX OUTBREAK IN GHANA: EPIDEMIOLOGY, RESPONSE, AND LESSONS LEARNED.
Main Article Content
Abstract
Mpox, caused by Mpox virus, has resurfaced and is causing a public health concern in Ghana. Since July 2022, new suspected and confirmed cases had been reported from various areas. By September 2025, Ghana had recorded the largest outbreak ever recorded, with all 16 regions of the country being affected. Data were extracted from Ghana Health Service Situation Reports (SITREP No. 42, 9 September 2025) surveillance updates and communication from the media. Descriptive epidemiology was used to summarize the case counts, demographics, geographic distribution and clinical outcomes. A literature review of World Health Organization (WHO) reports, New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and the Lancet and PubMed indexed studies (2022-2025) contextualized the results in Ghana to the outbreaks worldwide. As of September 9th, 2025, there had been 541 confirmed cases, 2,799 suspected cases and 1 death in Ghana. Of those, 452 were in recovery, three were still admitted to the hospital, and 85 were at home on isolation. A total of 2614 (83%) contacts followed up: 10 patients developed Mpox during follow-up. The outbreak has impacted all 16 regions with 97 of the 261 districts impacted, including Greater Accra and Western Regions. Both genders were affected, and all age groups (4yrs to >80yrs) were affected, but the majority were young adults(18-35yrs). Public health responses consisted of increased surveillance, laboratory scale-up (NPHRL, NMIMR, KCCR, with implementation of GeneXpert decentralization), special sensitization of high-risk populations and enhanced risk communication. The Mpox outbreak in Ghana provides evidence of a robust capacity for surveillance and multisectoral response but reveals important gaps in laboratory decentralization, the management of cases and the equitable availability of vaccination and therapeutic options. It is important that sustained investment in diagnostics, vaccination and engagement with the community is made for preparedness.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Adler, H., Gould, S., Hine, P., Snell, L. B., Wong, W., Houlihan, C. F., ... Dunning, J. (2022). Clinical features and management of human monkeypox: A retrospective observational study in the UK. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 22(9), 1153–1162.
Bertran, M., Andrews, N., Davison, C., et al. (2023). Vaccine effectiveness of two-dose JYNNEOS vaccination during mpox outbreak, Spain 2022. Eurosurveillance, 28(5), 2300052.
Guagliardo, S. A., Monroe, B., Moundjoa, C., Karem, K. L., Reynolds, M. G., & Damon, I. K. (2020). Asymptomatic orthopoxvirus circulation in humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 26(2), 356–359.
Isidro, J., Borges, V., Pinto, M., Sobral, D., Santos, J. D., Nunes, A., ... Duarte, S. (2022). Phylogenomic characterization and signs of microevolution in the 2022 multi-country monkeypox outbreak. Nature Medicine, 28(8), 1569–1572.
Madewell, Z. J., Yang, Y., Longini, I. M., Halloran, M. E., & Dean, N. E. (2020). Household secondary attack rates of SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging pathogens: A review. JAMA Network Open, 3(12), e2031756.
O’Shea, J., Filardo, T. D., Morris, S. B., Weiser, J., Petersen, B., & Brooks, J. T. (2022). Interim clinical guidance for the treatment of monkeypox in adults and children. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 71, 734–739.
Ogoina, D., Iroezindu, M., James, H. I., Oladokun, R., Yinka-Ogunleye, A., Wakama, P., ... Ihekweazu, C. (2020). Clinical course and outcome of human monkeypox in Nigeria. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 71(8), e210–e214.
Pan American Health Organization. (2022). Monkeypox: Laboratory testing guidance. Washington, DC: Author.
Payne, A. B., Ray, L. C., Kugeler, K. J., Saathoff-Huber, L., et al. (2022). Effectiveness of JYNNEOS vaccine against diagnosed mpox infection — United States, 2022. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 71, 1370–1375.
Petersen, E., Abubakar, I., Ihekweazu, C., et al. (2023). Mpox research priorities for global health equity. The Lancet Global Health, 11(5), e623–e625.
Philpott, D., Hughes, C. M., Alroy, K. A., Kerins, J. L., Pavlick, J., Asbel, L., ... Brooks, J. T. (2022). Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of monkeypox cases — United States, May–July 2022. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 71, 1018–1022.
Reynolds, M. G., McCollum, A. M., Nguete, B., et al. (2023). Clinical use and outcomes of tecovirimat for treatment of monkeypox — United States, 2022. The New England Journal of Medicine, 388, 1216–1225.
Thornhill, J. P., Barkati, S., Walmsley, S., Rockstroh, J., Antinori, A., Harrison, L. B., ... Orkin, C. M. (2022). Monkeypox virus infection in humans across 16 countries — April–June 2022. The New England Journal of Medicine, 387, 679–691.
World Health Organization. (2022). Monkeypox: Vaccines and immunization. Interim guidance. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
World Health Organization. (2022). Multi-country monkeypox outbreak: Situation update. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
World Health Organization. (2022). Surveillance, case investigation and contact tracing for mpox (monkeypox): Interim guidance. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
Yinka-Ogunleye, A., Aruna, O., Dalhat, M., Ogoina, D., McCollum, A., Disu, Y., ... Ihekweazu, C. (2019). Outbreak of human monkeypox in Nigeria in 2017–18: A clinical and epidemiological report. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 19(8), 872–879.