ACCRA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian health authorities declared the outbreak of yellow fever in the country's Upper West Region in a release late Thursday.
The release by the Ministry of Health said samples collected in the Wa West and Sissala West districts of the Upper West Region had tested positive for the virus.
"All three cases resulted in deaths, despite aggressive management by our health staff in those facilities," the statement said.
The statement said that the national and regional health emergency operations centers had been activated, and the rapid response teams had been deployed in the affected communities for case finding, surveillance, and risk communication.
It added that preparations are also underway for emergency vaccination campaigns in the Wa West, Sissala West, and Sissala East districts this month.
Yellow fever is a serious infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes that bite mostly during the day, according to the World Health Organization.
Symptoms include fever, yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, abdominal pain with vomiting, and bleeding that can occur from the mouth, nose, eyes, or stomach.
