ACCRA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 49 people have died from a cholera outbreak in Ghana, with 719 cases confirmed, Minister of Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said Tuesday.
Briefing parliament on the country's current health emergencies, Akandoh said the outbreak, which began in the Greater Accra Region in October 2024, has since spread to four additional regions.
Of the 6,145 suspected cases nationwide, 719 have been confirmed, with 49 fatalities, as authorities intensify efforts to contain the disease and prevent further spread, he said.
"Despite the worrying situation in the Central Region, new cholera cases are decreasing, and the districts of Agona West and Effutu, which were initially hard-hit, are now showing a decline in new cases," he added.
He attributed the positive shift in the crisis to the hard work of health workers and Ghana's international partners.
The minister said cholera treatment centers have been established across affected regions, alongside public awareness campaigns to educate communities.
On Feb. 14, Ghana's Ministry of Health launched an oral cholera vaccination program, deploying vaccines to high-risk areas to curb the outbreak. ■
