The
Ghana
Health
Service
(GHS)
has
announced
that
a
total
of
36
cases
of
Dengue
fever
have
been
confirmed
in
the
Eastern
and
Central
Regions
of
the
country.
These
cases,
according
to
a
statement
by
the
GHS,
were
confirmed
after
samples
were
sent
to
the
Noguchi
Memorial
Institute
for
Medical
Research
(NMIMR).
The
disease,
initially
recorded
in
three
districts
and
municipalities
of
the
Eastern
Region
has
now
entered
the
Central
Region.
According
to
the
Ghana
Health
Service,
a
team
from
the
National
level
made
up
of
Entomologists
and
Epidemiologists
have
joined
the
regional
team
to
undertake
a
detailed
outbreak
investigation.
It
added
that
more
samples
from
suspected
cases
have
been
submitted
to
the
Noguchi
Memorial
Institute
for
Medical
Research
(NMIMR)
for
confirmation.
“It
is
worthy
to
note
that,
of
all
these
cases,
only
one
(I)
was
admitted
but
has
been
discharged.
The
remaining
are
all
being
managed
at
home
and
are
stable,”
the
statement
read.
To
mitigate
the
spread,
the
Ghana
Health
Service
noted
that
there
is
an
ongoing
orientation
for
healthcare
workers
and
other
stakeholders
to
better
manage
the
outbreak.
Additionally,
the
public
has
been
urged
to
engage
in
activities
that
will
stop
the
breeding
of
mosquitoes.
I.
Wear
protective
clothing
2.
Use
mosquito
repellents
3.
If
you
must
keep
water
containers
around
your
home,
ensure
it
is
tightly
covered
4.
Discard
water
in
containers
if
the
water
is
not
being
used
5.
On
the
farms,
also
ensure
that
receptacles
that
could
collect
water
such
as
empty
cocoa
pods,
coconut
shells
etc.)
are
discarded
(crushed,
buried
etc)
properly
6.
If
sleeping
during
the
day
or
outside.
sleep
in
an
insecticide-treated
bed
net
7.
Do
not
self-medicate:
report
to
the
nearest
health
facility,
when
you
have
high-grade
fever
Symptoms
of
the
Dengue
fever
•
Sudden
onset
of
high-grade
fever
•
Severe
headache
(mostly
in
the
forehead)
•
Body
aches-
muscle,
bone
and
joint
pains
•
Nausea
and/or
vomiting
•
Rash