The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is advising the public to stay vigilant and follow safety protocols to curb the further spread of a recently confirmed virus case.
Mpox is a contagious disease characterized by symptoms such as a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, and fatigue. Although most individuals recover without complications, some may experience severe illness.
This disease is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), which is an enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Orthopoxvirus genus within the Poxviridae family. This family also includes other notable viruses, such as variola (which causes smallpox), cowpox, and vaccinia.
The monkeypox virus is classified into two main clades: clade I, which has subclades Ia and Ib, and clade II, consisting of subclades IIa and IIb. A global outbreak of clade IIb began in 2022 and continues to impact various regions around the world, including several countries in Africa.
For further details, you can read more about this topic [here](https://www.who.int/health-topics/monkeypox#tab=tab_1).
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Story by: Cindy Selasi Humade | univers.ug.edu.gh
