The Ashanti Region has confirmed its first five cholera cases
The Ashanti Region has confirmed its first five cholera cases, spread across three districts.
The Sekyere South District reported the highest number, with three cases, while Kumasi and Bekwai each confirmed one case, as of December 28, 2024, according to citinewsroom.com.
Laboratory tests confirmed five positive results out of 28 suspected cases. This outbreak brings the Ashanti Region in line with the Western, Greater Accra, and Central regions, all of which have recently experienced cholera outbreaks.
As of December 23, 2024, the country has recorded 4,155 suspected cases, resulting in 35 fatalities since October.
In response to the outbreak, health authorities have heightened their alert levels. The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate convened an emergency meeting at the Public Health Operations Center, bringing together representatives from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), environmental health officers, and officials from the water and sanitation departments, as well as directors from district, municipal, and metropolitan areas.
The Regional Health Directorate has implemented the following measures to control the spread of the disease; disinfecting the homes of confirmed cases, isolating affected individuals and tracing their contacts, and strengthening public health surveillance and response efforts in collaboration with district teams.
Meanwhile, assessments of the affected communities in Bekwai and Sekyere have indicated that all confirmed cases were concentrated in specific areas, with one individual having used public restrooms.
Under the leadership of Dr. Fred Adomako, the Regional Health Directorate has ramped up awareness campaigns and provided additional training for healthcare workers on case definitions, identification, and contact tracing.
Earlier this year, over 100 cholera cases, which resulted in 15 deaths, were reported in the Western Region.
RAD/EB
