2022–2023 mpox outbreak in Ghana

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2022–2023 mpox outbreak in Ghana
DiseaseHuman mpox
LocationGhana
Arrival date8 June 2022[1] – ongoing (1 year, 10 months, and 19 days)
DateJuly 27th, 2022
Confirmed cases34[2]
Suspected cases‡159
Deaths
1[3]
‡Suspected cases have not been confirmed by laboratory tests as being due to this strain, although some other strains may have been ruled out.

The 2022–2023 mpox outbreak in Ghana is a part of the larger outbreak of human mpox caused by the West African clade of the monkeypox virus. As opposed to its West African neighbours, Ghana had no endemic presence of mpox, only experiencing it during the 2022 outbreak. The first 5 cases of mpox in Ghana was detected on June 8, 2022.[1]

Background

These paragraphs are an excerpt from Mpox and 2022–2023 mpox outbreak.

An ongoing outbreak of mpox was confirmed on May 6, 2022, beginning with a British resident who, after travelling to Nigeria (where the disease is endemic), presented symptoms consistent with mpox on April 29, 2022. The resident returned to the United Kingdom on May 4, creating the country's index case of the outbreak.[4] The origin of several of the cases of mpox in the United Kingdom is unknown. Some monitors saw community transmission taking place in the London area as of mid-May,[5] but it has been suggested that cases were already spreading in Europe in the previous months.[6]

Transmission

Stages of lesion development.

A large portion of those infected were believed to have not recently traveled to areas of Africa where mpox is normally found, such as Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as central and western Africa. It is believed to be transmitted by close contact with sick people, with extra caution for those individuals with lesions on their skin or genitals, along with their bedding and clothing. The CDC has also stated that individuals should avoid contact and consumption of dead animals such as rats, squirrels, monkeys and apes along with wild game or lotions derived from animals in Africa.[7]

In addition to more common symptoms, such as fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes or lesions, some patients have also experienced proctitis, an inflammation of the rectum lining. CDC has also warned clinicians to not rule out mpox in patients with sexually transmitted infections since there have been reports of co-infections with syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and herpes.[8]

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b "5 cases of monkeypox confirmed in Ghana". MyJoyOnline.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Monkeypox declared a global emergency: Ghana records 34 cases across 6 regions". Ghana Fact. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  3. ^ "One person dead after contracting monkeypox". MyJoyOnline.com. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Monkeypox – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". World Health Organization. 16 May 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  5. ^ Pinkstone, Joe (17 May 2022). "Monkeypox 'spreading in sexual networks'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  6. ^ Nsofor, Ifeanyi (2 June 2022). "OPINION: Media coverage of monkeypox paints it as an African virus. That makes me mad". NPR. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  7. ^ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (7 June 2022). "US raises monkeypox alert level but says risk to public remains low". the Guardian. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Monkeypox update: Where the outbreak stands now".
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