Dr. Badu Sarkodie, the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has revealed that the two individuals who have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID 19) who came into the country from Norway and Turkey, one is a Ghanaian.
READ MORE: Two cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ghana
Ghana confirmed two cases of the deadly coronavirus. The cases were confirmed on March 12, 2020, the Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu has disclosed.
The two individuals came into the country from Norway and Turkey and they have been quarantined.
Speaking on the Happy Morning Show (HMS) Dr. Sarkodie said, It is true, we have 2 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ghana. One is a Ghanaian who went to Turkey and the other, a foreigner who came from Norway but his nationality is yet to be confirmed. They are in stable conditions for now.”
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Dr. Sarkodie added that they are undertaking contact tracing to know where the two persons have been to and who they have come into contact with since they came to Ghana. “We have to list their immediate contacts, trace them and follow up on them.”
He advised that there is a need for more sensitization since Ghana has now recorded two cases. “Most Ghanaians have some understanding of the coronavirus. We need to start a campaign on sensitization Ghanaians of the coronavirus.”
COVID
On Wednesday the President directed the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to make available the cedi equivalent of $100 million to enhance Ghana’s Coronavirus preparedness and response plan.
This amount, according to President Akufo-Addo, “is to fund the expansion of infrastructure, purchase of materials and equipment, and public education.”
Delivering an address to the nation the President explained that, with the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the Coronavirus disease as “a pandemic”, it is important that Ghana steps up her preparedness to ensure that, beyond the initial measures that have been put in place, a ‘whole of Ghana’ approach is adopted in preparation for a possible hit within the country’s borders.
Already, all of Ghana’s immediate neighbours, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, and Togo, have recorded confirmed cases of infections, and countries like Italy, where there is a large population of Ghanaians, have escalated their response to the outbreak.
Ghana’s entry points, such as her airports and land borders, President Akufo-Addo said, continue to show satisfactory preparedness to screen all entrants into the country, with the Ministry of Health designating a quarantine facility that can hold infected persons, whilst regional hospitals are preparing isolation centers for holding suspected cases.
