The Minister of Health says Ghana is investigating about 450 suspected yellow fever cases recorded between June and September 2026.
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh disclosed the figures during a media engagement on Wednesday, October 7, saying 74 of the suspected cases were recorded in the Upper West Region, with three confirmed.
He said some suspected cases require further laboratory testing, including confirmation in Senegal.
“Suspected cases, we have a limit to which we can test in Ghana. In some cases we take the samples to Senegal to go and confirm,” the Minister said.
Akandoh also declined to disclose the number of deaths linked to the suspected cases, stressing that health professionals must first establish whether a death was attributable to yellow fever.
“But not until it’s confirmed, we don’t have to press the panic buttons. So let’s, the media, please let’s handle this well,” he said.
A National Rapid Response Team has been deployed to northern Ghana, particularly the Upper West Region, while some hospital facilities have been demarcated or isolated to manage suspected cases.
The Minister said the situation was being managed and urged the public to rely on official information.
“And so, please, and with respect to yellow fever, the guideline is that when you report more than one or two, it is enough to declare an outbreak. And so it is not out of hand,” he said.
The Ministry of Health is preparing a comprehensive briefing on the suspected yellow fever cases and is expected to provide further details to the public.
Authorities are continuing surveillance, testing and response measures as they work to establish the extent of the situation.
