The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has confirmed four new cases of Mpox, bringing the country’s total number of infections to 1,062.

The public health body announced this in a statement on its official X handle on Tuesday, April 14.

According to the GHS, the new cases add to the previously recorded 1,058 infections.

“Four new cases recorded, bringing the total confirmed cases to 1,062,” the statement noted.

The Service urged the public to protect themselves and others by maintaining good hygiene and promptly reporting symptoms such as fever, rash, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and tiredness.

“If you notice any of these symptoms, visit the nearest health facility immediately,” the statement added.

In a related development, months earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) supported Ghana’s response to the Mpox outbreak with a donation of essential medical supplies and public health materials to the Ministry of Health.

During a brief ceremony, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Yakub Janabi, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s public health response and commended the country’s leadership in managing the outbreak.

The donation, valued at $36,700, included personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline health workers, 780 GeneXpert cartridges to enhance diagnostic capacity, and 9,000 risk communication posters along with 40 pull-up banners to support community sensitization.

The PPE is expected to strengthen infection prevention and control measures, while the GeneXpert cartridges will enable faster and more accurate testing, especially at decentralized levels. The communication materials are aimed at improving public awareness and encouraging behavioural change.

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who received the items on behalf of the government, expressed gratitude to the WHO for its continued support.

He noted that Ghana is keen to incorporate vaccines into its response strategy and called on the WHO to expedite assistance in that regard.

He also urged the public to maintain good hygiene practices and seek early medical attention if they experience symptoms such as fever, cough, headache, or skin rashes.

Health officials explain that Mpox spreads mainly through direct contact with an infected person. Common symptoms include fever, skin rashes, and swollen lymph nodes.

The GHS has advised the public to avoid close contact with symptomatic individuals, practice regular handwashing, avoid frequent face-touching, and use masks when caring for infected persons.

The Service added that it is actively monitoring the outbreak, conducting contact tracing, and intensifying public education efforts with support from regional health directorates.

Also, to strengthen the response, the WHO has also provided laboratory PCR reagents to boost Ghana’s diagnostic capacity. The supplies were handed over to the GHS at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory.

Receiving the items, Acting Deputy Director-General, Caroline Reindorf Amissah, expressed appreciation for the continued support.

“We will continue to collaborate and actively search for cases to ensure the outbreak is brought under control,” she said.

WHO Country Representative, Fiona Braka, noted that the reagents will support rapid diagnosis and timely public health interventions.

The supplies can test up to 3,400 suspected samples, while additional kits will allow clade determination for 625 confirmed cases.

Historically, Mpox was first identified in 1958 in monkeys used for research in Denmark. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to the WHO, the disease has since remained endemic in parts of Central, East, and West Africa, with periodic outbreaks reported globally.