By NewsDesk @bactiman63
The Ghana Health Services (GHS) reported Friday that they have received interim laboratory results of an unusual disease from the Savannah Region that has led to the deaths of eight people.
Yellow fever is suspected and samples have been sent out for confirmatory testing. Testing has shown to be negative for Marburg, Zika, Ebola and Lassa viruses.
The affected persons were nomads in selected communities in West and North Gonja of the Savannah region, who had never been vaccinated against yellow fever.
The GHS urged all persons from the Region who had fever, general weakness, headache, nausea and vomiting to immediately report to the nearest health facility.
It encouraged individuals who had never been vaccinated against Yellow Fever to do so.
“Avoid mosquito bites by wearing clothing that cover all parts of the body and report to the nearest health facility if you have fever and, especially when you have yellowish discoloration of your eyes,” the Service advised.
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever.
Symptoms of yellow fever (fever, chills, headache, backache, and muscle aches) develop 3-6 days after infection. About 15% of people infected with yellow fever virus will develop severe illness that can lead to liver disease, bleeding, shock, organ failure, yellowing skin (jaundice), and sometimes death.
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Diagnosis is based on symptoms, laboratory testing, and travel history. Yellow fever virus spreads through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
There are no medications to treat or cure yellow fever. Yellow fever vaccine is the best protection against this disease.
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