The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has raised an alert following a Dengue Fever outbreak in the Eastern Region.
This alert was triggered after the national surveillance system spotted unusual malaria cases in various districts that did not respond to typical antimalarial treatments. These cases, managed as acute febrile illnesses, were later confirmed as Dengue Fever by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR).
As of Sunday, July 14, nine cases have been confirmed. In response, a national team of entomologists and epidemiologists has joined the regional team to conduct a thorough outbreak investigation.
The GHS has instructed all Regional Directors of Health Service and chief executives of Teaching Hospitals to circulate this alert to all health workers across regions, districts, and hospitals, including mission and private facilities. This step aims to improve Dengue Fever surveillance and ensure that all clinical malaria cases are confirmed through laboratory testing.