Ghana battles Dengue fever outbreak in eastern region

GHANA – Ghana has recorded nine cases of Dengue Fever in the Eastern Region, prompting a swift response from health authorities. 

The outbreak was identified after unusual clinical malaria cases were detected, which did not respond to antimalarial treatment, leading to further investigation.

Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, issued an alert to Regional Health Directors, stating that the cases were confirmed at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) after samples were sent from patients exhibiting acute febrile illnesses. 

In response, a team comprising entomologists and epidemiologists has joined the regional team to conduct a detailed outbreak investigation.

Dr. Kuma-Aboagye urged Chief Executives of Teaching Hospitals to disseminate the alert to all health workers within their regions and facilities, including mission and private establishments, to enhance surveillance and ensure all suspected malaria cases undergo laboratory confirmation. 

Health workers were advised to be vigilant and adhere to the surveillance case definitions for Dengue Fever, which include an acute febrile illness of 2-7 days duration accompanied by symptoms such as headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgia, arthralgia, rash, hemorrhagic manifestations, or leukopenia.

Dengue virus, transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes, can result in mild febrile illness or severe cases involving shock, severe bleeding, or severe organ impairment. 

Globally, over 7.6 million dengue cases have been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) as of April 30, 2024, comprising about 3.4 million confirmed cases, over 16,000 severe cases, and more than 3,000 deaths.

From January 1 to April 28, 13 African countries were known to have ongoing active transmission of the dengue virus, with 32,925 dengue cases recorded, 14,095 confirmed, 1,051 severe cases, and 57 deaths reported. 

The WHO has identified the circulation of three of the four dengue serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3) in the African region. Based on the dengue burden, Burkina Faso, Mauritius, and Mali are the current priority countries.

The WHO emphasizes that effective vector control interventions are vital to preventing and controlling dengue. 

These interventions target areas with a risk of human-vector contact, such as residences, workplaces, schools, and hospitals.

Ghana’s health authorities have implemented various measures in response to the outbreak, including establishing a national emergency operation center and disseminating alerts to all regions and districts for enhanced surveillance.

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