Cholera deaths in Ghana have risen to 40, with 398 confirmed cases recorded across five regions since the outbreak began in October 2024, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).Data from the GHS indicates that 41 people remain hospitalized as the disease has spread to La Dadekotopon in the Greater Accra Region, increasing the number of affected districts to 48. The current Case Fatality Rate (CFR) stands at 1.2%.Dr.

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Dennis Laryea, Head of Disease Surveillance at the GHS, reported that 4,850 suspected cholera cases have been recorded so far in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, Ashanti, and Western Regions.“Deaths are occurring because most of the patients who had cholera tried to self-medicate, some report to the hospital three days after the cholera infection,” Dr. Laryea explained in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.

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He further disclosed that 96 new suspected cholera cases, including 29 confirmed infections, were recorded between December 26 and 31, 2024.A recent Oral Cholera Vaccination campaign targeting four hotspot districts in the Western Region — Sekondi-Takoradi, Effia Kwesimintsim, Shama, and Ahanta West — successfully vaccinated 596,205 people, according to Dr. Laryea.

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He identified poor access to clean water, open defecation, and poor hand hygiene as significant contributors to the outbreak, urging the public to improve personal hygiene.“Frequent hand washing with soap under running water and the use of hand sanitizers where there is no access to clean water can help prevent the spread,” he advised.Ghana had not experienced a cholera outbreak between 2017 and 2023, apart from a few isolated cases. Dr.

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Laryea credited improved handwashing practices during the COVID-19 pandemic as an effective measure in curbing such infections during those years.Cholera, an acute diarrheal disease caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria, can lead to severe dehydration and death if left untreated.

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Symptoms include frequent diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, headache, dry mouth, fatigue, and reduced urine output.The World Health Organization (WHO) describes cholera as a global health threat and an indicator of social inequality. Cholera transmission is often linked to poor sanitation, limited access to clean water, and overcrowded living conditions, such as peri-urban slums and camps for displaced persons.

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The GHS continues to urge the public to drink safe, treated water, consume properly cooked food, maintain good hygiene, avoid close contact with infected individuals, and seek prompt medical attention if experiencing diarrhoea and vomiting.

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