The Ashanti Region has reported its first five confirmed cholera cases, spanning across three districts.
The Sekyere South District has the highest number with three cases, while Kumasi and Bekwai have recorded one case each as of December 28, 2024.
Out of 28 suspected cases, laboratory tests confirmed five positive cases.
The Ashanti Region now joins the Western, Greater Accra, and Central Regions, all of which have recently experienced deadly cholera outbreaks.
As of December 23, 2024, there have been 4,155 suspected cases nationwide, with 35 fatalities reported since October 2024.
In response to the outbreak, health authorities in the Ashanti Region have raised their level of alert.
The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate held an emergency meeting at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, with participants from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), environmental health officers, water and sanitation departments, and district health directors.
To combat the spread, the Regional Health Directorate has implemented several measures:
- Disinfecting the homes of confirmed cholera cases
- Isolating affected individuals and tracing their contacts
- Enhancing public health surveillance and response efforts in collaboration with district teams
- Mobilizing public health emergency committees in affected areas
Initial assessments of Bekwai and Sekyere South communities indicated that all confirmed cases were localized to specific areas, and no individuals used public restrooms.
The Regional Health Directorate, led by Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng, has also ramped up awareness campaigns and training for healthcare workers on identifying and handling cholera cases, as well as contact tracing.
The outbreak, which initially surfaced in the Western Region earlier this year, has already led to over 100 cases and 15 deaths.
Source-citinewsroom
