The Eastern Regional Health Directorate says it has submitted a total of 373 samples of suspected Coronavirus cases to Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research awaiting results.
Out of the number, 244 samples were taken from contacts connected to Indian expatriate tested positive of COVID-19 in Lower Manya Krobo Municipality. Three are also persons who had contact with a person tested Positive in the Upper East Region.
“The region has one (1) confirmed COVID- 19 case which was imported. The case was confirmed on 31st March 2020. The confirmed case is in stable condition and responding to treatment. He is being managed successfully at home under strict isolation. The total number of contacts linked to the confirmed case and successfully traced are 244. They are all monitored daily. Their samples have been sent to Noguchi for testing as required by the enhanced surveillance protocol. We await results”. A statement issued Thursday, April 8, 2020, by the Regional Health Director, Dr, Mrs. Alberta Biritwum Nyarko stated.
The statement added “There are 3 other contacts we have traced and are following up on who is linked to the confirmed case in Upper East Region. They are also doing well. Their samples have also been sent and we await results. Cumulative samples we have taken and submitted total 373″.
As of 7th April 2020, 11:30pm, Ghana has recorded a total of 313 cases of COVID-19 with six (6) deaths.
The regional distribution of the cases are as follows: Greater Accra Region has most cases (274) followed by the Ashanti Region (25), Northern Region (10), Upper West Region (1), Eastern Region (1), Upper East Region (1) and Central Region (1).
A total of 161 cases were reported from the routine surveillance, 37 from enhanced surveillance activities and those from travelers under mandatory quarantine in both Accra and Tamale are 115.
The period for mandatory quarantine for travelers who arrived 21-22 March 2020 has ended. In all, a total of 1,030 travelers were quarantined during the period. Out of these, 79 (7.7%) were positive during the initial testing whilst 951 were negative.
Twenty-six (26) among those that were initially negative were found to have converted to be positive at the exit screening, bringing to a total of 105 which constitutes 10.2% among the travelers that were quarantined.
With regards to enhanced contact tracing and testing, as of 7th April 2020, a total of 11,016 samples from contacts have been processed and 37 (0.34%) have been confirmed positive for COVID-19.
Ghana announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 13, 2020.
President of Ghana Akufo-Addo on March 27, 2020, announced a partial lockdown of the Nation’s Capital-Accra and Parts of Greater Kumasi for two weeks as an enhanced measure to prevent increasing community spread having closed down all Borders -Land, sea and Air spaces. The government also imposed mandatory 14 days quarantine for returnees in the country. Additionally, the President has established a COVID-19 Fund to help mobilize resources to fight the pandemic.
President on April 5, 2020, announced other social interventions including free water provision for all Ghanaians for three months, Insurance packages and tax exemptions on salaries for all healthcare Additionally,50% of basic salaries as top-up allowance for frontline workers among others.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
