Ghana’s health service is denying reports that a new case of Ebola has been confirmed in the town of Tamale.
“You have from the horse’s own mouth,” said Fatimatu Abubaker at a Wednesday press briefing. “We have no reported case of Ebola in Ghana. Please spread the word.”
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, director general of Ghana Health Service, explained that confusion about the reported case arose from a simulation drill that was being held in the town. The preparedness and response drill was similar to those held for Lassa fever and yellow fever outbreaks, as examples.
Kuma-Aboagye detailed a number of other health priorities during the meeting, most of which was centered on the COVID-19 pandemic. Ghana is seeing a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases across the country, primarily because of workplace and school outbreaks. That’s led to a number of school closings.
Omicron variants B.4 and B.5 are driving the case counts, he said, which are primarily affecting Accra and its immediate surroundings.
Monkeypox cases also are on the rise in Ghana, where infections previously were considered endemic only in animal populations, according to the World Health Organization. Monkeypox is an endemic disease in 12 other West and Central African nations.
Ghana is investigating 72 suspected cases of monkeypox in humans, of which 18 have been confirmed. The last verified case was noted on June 14.
Image: Ghana Health Service
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