TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Coronavirus: Three-week lockdown extension set to be approved

    Ministers are later expected to announce a three-week extension to the coronavirus lockdown.

    Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will lead emergency Cobra committee and cabinet meetings about the continuation of social distancing measures.

    Labour has said it will support an extension, but also called for details on how and when the lockdown would end.

    Meanwhile, social care directors have said distribution of protective kit for carers has been “shambolic”.

    Speaking at Wednesday’s daily press briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said restrictions on movement were beginning to help reduce the spread of the virus.

    But he warned “we will not lift these measures until it is safe to do so”.

    The UK’s chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, has warned of a possible “bounce” in the numbers soon, due to delays in reporting deaths over the Easter weekend.

    He said while the UK was “probably” reaching the peak of its epidemic, the high numbers of deaths were expected to continue for a “short while” longer.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced strict curbs on life in the UK on 23 March, as the government sought to limit the spread of the virus.

    Since then, people have been allowed to leave home only to exercise once a day, travel to and from work when “absolutely necessary”, shop for essential items and fulfil medical or care needs.

    Ministers are required by law to assess whether the rules are working, based on expert advice, every three weeks.

    The government – led by Mr Raab as Mr Johnson continues to recover from the virus – will detail the outcome of the first assessment at the daily Downing Street news conference later.

    Ministers in Scotland and Wales have already said their lockdowns are set to remain in place, while Northern Ireland’s Arlene Foster confirmed the NI lockdown will be extended until 9 May.

    According to the latest figures, 12,868 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for the virus in the UK, a day-on-day increase of 761.

    ‘Haphazard’ protective equipment
    In a letter to the Department of Health and Social Care, seen by the BBC, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services said early deliveries of personal protective equipment (PPE) had been “paltry”.

    It described more recent deliveries as “haphazard”.

    The group said mixed messages from the government had created “confusion and additional workload”, as the care sector struggled to cope with the virus.

    The leak came to light after the health secretary launched a new supply network, including an emergency 24/7 helpline, to help get PPE to care home staff.

    Care providers have been calling for more testing and PPE for weeks, amid outbreaks at more than 2,000 homes.

    The Department of Health’s statistics have come in for scrutiny in recent days. They do not include deaths in care homes – leading charities to claim the government was “airbrushing” the death toll.

    In Scotland, new figures suggest a quarter of deaths linked to coronavirus have occurred in care homes.

    In England and Wales there were 217 deaths in care homes by 3 April. That number is known to now be much higher. And 24 residents died after an outbreak at one care home in Staffordshire.

    As part of new government guidelines, Mr Hancock announced on Wednesday that family members of dying relatives would be allowed to visit them to say their goodbyes “wherever possible”.

    He also promised anyone moving from hospital into social care would be tested for the virus to prevent care home outbreaks. However, critics have questioned the logistics of isolating people as they await test results.

    Labour’s shadow minister for social care, Liz Kendall, said few care home staff had been tested so far.

    In response to Mr Hancock unveiling what he called a “badge of honour” to recognise care workers, she told the BBC: “I think probably what they want more than a brand or a badge is protective equipment, proper testing and a decent salary.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Importers appeal to government for waiver

    Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, Samson Awingobite has called on the government to give a waiver to importers in this COVID-19 era.

    This follows complaints by some shippers regarding payment of huge demurrage due to the inability of shipping lines to process their clearing documents in time with the excuse of the social distancing protocol and partial lockdown.

    Speaking with GBC-Obonu News in Tema, Mr Awingobite also asked the government to direct shipping lines to extend their working hours for quick clearing.

    He explained that whereas major agencies including the GPHA, MPS and Customs are operating a 24-hour system despite the challenges, actions of some shipping lines are greatly affecting shippers.

    He said even with their reduced number of workers, they close between 1 pm and 2 pm compelling shippers to return the following day to continue processing their clearance which sometimes ends in demurrage.

    Source: gcbghanaonline.com

  • Songstress Becca joins the Pillow Challenge; check her swag out

    Songstress Becca has also joined the trending Pillow Challenge that has taken over social Media ever since the Covid-19 started.

    She took to her IG page as she shared photos of her Pillow challenge; Check her out;

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    Dress up with your pillow and tag me. #PillowFashion

    A post shared by BECCA (@beccafrica) on

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    Wear your pillow and tag me #PillowFashion

    A post shared by BECCA (@beccafrica) on

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    #PillowFashion

    A post shared by BECCA (@beccafrica) on

    Source: www.ghgossip.com

  • Maame Serwaa puts her heavy boobs on display as she tells fans to stay home

    Actress Maame Serwaa decided to put her big heavy b0obs on display as she tells her fans to stay home amidst of Covid-19.

    Maame Serwaa posted the photos with the caption,

    Stay at home and break the spread of COVID-19
    #SpreadCalmNotFear
    #godseeusthroughthisjourney

     

    Source: www.ghgossip.com

  • Ghana’s coronavirus situation not ‘dramatic’ – Sam Okudzeto

    A member of the Council of State, Mr Sam Okudzeto, has said the Electoral Commission can start registering Ghanaians for the new voter ID card in parts of the country that are not under lockdown in light of the coronavirus situation in Ghana.

    So far, eight people have succumbed to the disease out of the six hundred and thirty-six confirmed cases.

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has locked down parts of the country as part of measures to mitigate the spread of the virus.

    He has also banned all social gatherings and activities which require massing up at one place.

    In light of the coronavirus situation, the EC has also suspended, indefinitely, its registration exercise, which it had scheduled to start on April 18, 2020.

    However, Mr Okudzeto, a former President of the Ghana Bar Association, told Accra-based Citi FM in an interview that: “Our case of the coronavirus is not as dramatic as it is in many countries, which means that we only have few pockets in the two big municipalities and few of the smaller ones.

    “So, since the lockdown is not the whole of Ghana, the EC should start the registration in areas where there is no lockdown”.

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Hospital to trial ‘glimmer of hope’ blood treatment

    A potential new treatment for coronavirus being trialled at a hospital in Wales offers patients a “glimmer of hope”, specialists say.

    The University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff hopes to offer the treatment as part of a study within a month.

    Blood will be extracted from people who have recovered from COVID-19 and the plasma will be given to patients.

    It is hoped antibodies in the plasma of the blood could help others struggling to fight the infection.

    At this early stage, the plan is to trial the treatment on patients who are severely affected by a Coronavirus, according to Dr Stuart Walker, medical director at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

    Public Health Wales will identify and write to potential donors, with the plasma collected and processed by the Welsh Blood Service.

    Donors will need to have tested positive for COVID-19 and now be fully recovered.

    For years, so-called “convalescent plasma” has been used on a daily basis in the health service to help combat other viruses, as well as internationally in response to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) and Ebola epidemics.

    The BBC has been told other hospitals across the UK are also looking to trial the treatment, with further announcements understood to be imminent.

    But UHW is “at the forefront”, in part due to the expertise of its staff, according to Dr Richard Skone, clinical board director for specialist services.

    “We’re very fortunate here in Cardiff to have a number of specialists who have already been working in this area,” he said.

    “This is in the research stage at the moment but there’s a chance it could help people who can’t defend themselves against the virus – and for those people it could make a big difference.”

    The Welsh Government said Wales was playing “a leading role in the UK programme” for treating coronavirus patients using convalescent plasma.

    “If the practical application works then we should be in a position where we can have a more effective response to people who are seriously ill,” Health Minister Vaughan Gething said.

    “And we know there are hundreds of people who are seriously ill across Wales.

    “This is a really good new story for Wales and we need some good news at this really difficult time.

    “People should be really proud of this work that is being done and lead from Wales.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Schools in Wales will not reopen imminently – Minister

    Schools in Wales will not reopen next week and a change to that is not imminent, the Welsh education minister has said.

    Kirsty Williams said when schools do reopen “it won’t be business as usual” and only some children may return.

    The closure will only end when she receives advice it is safe to do so, the minister said.

    Education institutions across the UK shut because of the coronavirus outbreak in March.

    The Easter break was due to end next week, but some schools have remained open to provide care for children of key workers.

    Ms Williams said that during the first week of the Easter holidays, there were around “430 settings open, with around 2,700 children attending daily”.

    There were more than 250 open on Good Friday and Easter Monday, with up to 680 children attending.

    “We should prepare ourselves for a significant period of disruption to our education system,” the education minister told the daily Welsh Government press conference.

    “I will only re-open schools when I have the advice from the chief medical officer and the chief scientific officer that it is safe to do so.

    “And at this moment I have not received that advice.”

    She added: “The scientific advice is very clear in terms of the continuation of social distancing practices, so what are the practicalities of actually operating that within the school? We may be in a situation where we can have part of the school cohort going back.”

    Support for parents
    Ms Williams said Wales will become the only government to provide “national guidance and tools” for children learning at home.

    It includes guidance for teachers on supporting pupils and for parents on how they can help their children.

    “The package will be inclusive, to meet the needs as many learners as we can, and support learning in both Welsh and English,” she said.

    “Let me be clear, we don’t want, nor do we expect, parents to be formal teachers, but we do need to provide support for parents to help them help their children.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Ghana will not go into economic recession – IMF

    The International Monetary Fund, IMF has projected that Ghana will not go into an economic recession later this year due to Covid-19 pandemic.

    Some developmental partners of Ghana including the World Bank have warned that the country could go into an economic recession due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

    IMF Country Director for Ghana, Dr Albert Touna Mama in a radio interview monitored by primenewsghana said their projection is for Ghana to grow at 1.5% this year.

    “…our projections at this stage for Ghana, is for Ghana to grow at a rate of 1.5% in 2020. Let me point out to the fact that the outlook literally for the countries in the world is quite uncertain just equals the nature of the coronavirus pandemic and the uncertainty related to the measures and the duration of the crisis.

    Dr Albert Touna Mama explained that the measures put in place to help the pandemic will continue to have a damaging effect as long as their still in place.

    “These measures are put in place exactly to the problem at hand so the longer these measures are in place the more damaging it will be to economic activities.”

    He stated that in the case of Ghana, their projections show that the country will not go into an economic recession.

    “But for the case of Ghana let’s say positive factors this year…the rebounding price of gold that seems crucial, the shock on oil price and the price of cocoa. At this moment our projection is that Ghana will not go into recession.”

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • Central Banks build $8trn war chest against coronavirus

    Central Banks across the globe have built an $8 trillion war chest against the Coronavirus pandemic.

    International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva disclosed this, today, during the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting. At the on-going virtual Spring Meetings.

    “Thank you to the Saudi Presidency for steering the G20 in this unprecedented crisis, and to all of you for the remarkable efforts to protect people and the economy.”

    “8 trillion dollars of fiscal measures and ample liquidity by central banks have helped build a bridge to recovery for companies and households,” she.said.

    And you stepped up with an initiative on a time-bound suspension of debt service payments for the poorest countries. I wholeheartedly welcome this timely action. Ms. Georgieva said that the IMF has quickly responded to the call by the G20 to up its financial assistance to countries hit by the pa demic.

    According to her, “You called on the Fund to ramp up our crisis response for emerging markets and developing countries. And we acted on this call.”

    “We doubled annual access limits for emergency financing. Over 100 countries have already approached us and by the end of this month, half of the requests will have been approved by our Board. Ten countries have already received emergency assistance.”

    “This Monday our Board granted immediate relief for debt service to the IMF to 25 countries. We thank members who have made generous pledges to this effort and call on others to contribute.”

    The IMF boss said that her team.and world leaders were discussing a new short-term liquidity line for countries with strong policies. She said, “We will need to step up even more.

    As you know, we project a deep recession in 2020 and only a partial recovery in 2021.

    “To help countries steer through the depth of the recession and support their recovery, we are prepared to use our full toolbox and $1 trillion firepower, mindful of the need to use programs wisely and strengthen good governance.”

    “Second, to assist our low-income countries, we plan to triple our concessional lending. We are therefore urgently seeking US$18 billion in new loan resources for the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust, and will also likely need at least US$1.8 billion in subsidy resources.”

    “We will also explore whether the use of SDRs could be helpful in this context.”

    “Third, we will concentrate both lending and policy support to reduce the scarring of the economy caused by bankruptcies and unemployment, in order to support a speedy recovery. And, with many economies continuing to face capital outflows and high debt, we are ready to work closely with other international institutions and fora, as well as private stakeholders, to help our members steer through this crisis and come out of it more resilient.”

    Source: vanguardngr.com

  • Chika Ike sends tongue wagging with her latest hot photo- Check it out

    Award winning Nigerian actress, media personality and philantropist, Chika Nancy Ike, has sent tongues of men wagging after sharing a fiery lockdown photo on her instagram page.

    The lockdown and Social Distance period has got celebrities around the world wilding. It has revealed the true identities of most celebrities, their fun and crazy side have been brought to light.

    The beautiful and extravagant Chika Ike is one of the celebrities enjoying herself in the Nigerian lockdown and social distance period. Her latest photo says it all as she teases men on her list with a raunchy photo.

    Some people believe the photo, is a perfect definition of social distance, which means you can just watch from a distance.

    Seee image below:

    Source: www.ghgossip.com

  • WHO chief ‘regrets’ Trump halting funding

    In the past few minutes the World Health Organization’s chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has been speaking about US President Donald Trump’s decision to halt funding for the organization.

    He said the WHO regretted the move, but added: “Our commitment to public health, science, and to serving all the people of the world without fear or favor remains absolute.”

    Dr Tedros said the agency was “reviewing” the impact of the withdrawal of US funds to “ensure our work continues uninterpreted”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Global cases reach two million – Reports

    Another day and another grim statistic, as the number of confirmed cases across the world reaches two million.

    That’s according to figures from Johns Hopkins University, which has been tracking infections and deaths around the world.

    More than 600,000 cases have been recorded in the US alone, while 128,000 people have died globally.

    The true number of infections is likely to be much higher, as levels of testing vary by country.

    It’s less than two weeks since the world reaches a million confirmed cases.

    Source: bbc.com

  • US$8 trillion spent on Coronavirus pandemic IMF

    So far, US$8 trillion has been used by countries to fight the COVID-19 pandemic with G20 countries taking the lead.

    According to the International Monetary Fund Fiscal Monitor, Italy, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom and France, have spent more than any other country in the world.

    Emergency lifelines provided globally include higher spending and foregone revenues (US$3.3 trillion), public sector loans and equity injections (US$1.8 trillion), and guarantees (US$2.7 trillion).

    The Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies are at the forefront with actions totalling US$7 trillion. Fiscal support is also provided by automatic stabilizers—features of the tax and benefit system that stabilize incomes and consumption, such as progressive taxation and unemployment benefits.

    It said COVID-19 and its economic impact will increase fiscal deficits and public debt ratios across countries given higher spending and plunging revenues.

    The Fiscal Monitor shows how policymakers can offer emergency lifelines to: save lives; protect people from losing jobs and incomes, and companies from bankruptcies; and enable a recovery.

    Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva in a G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting today said “And we will need to step up even more. As you know, we project a deep recession in 2020 and only a partial recovery in 2021. To help countries steer through the depth of the recession and support their recovery, we are prepared to use our full toolbox and $ 1 trillion firepower, mindful of the need to use programs wisely and strengthen good governance.”

    “Second, to assist our low-income countries, we plan to triple our concessional lending. We are therefore urgently seeking US$18 billion in new loan resources for the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust, and will also likely need at least US$1.8 billion in subsidy resources. We will also explore whether the use of SDRs could be helpful in this context”, she said.

    “Third, we will concentrate both lending and policy support to reduce the scarring of the economy caused by bankruptcies and unemployment, in order to support a speedy recovery. And, with many economies continuing to face capital outflows and high debt, we are ready to work closely with other international institutions and fora, as well as private stakeholders, to help our members steer through this crisis and come out of it more resilient,” she added.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Free electricity to cost Ghana ¢1bn in 3 months Energy Minister

    Government is spending a whopping 1 billion cedis on the electricity relief package announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo to cushion Ghanaians for the next three months amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak in the country.

    The amount will a total of 4.8 million electricity meters across the country, Energy Minister John Peter Amewu announced Thursday

    More soon

     

    Source: 3News.com 

  • I’m just in a class of my own – E.L

    Rapper E.L has spun a truly versatile, yet amazing catalogue of music for a decade and counting. His presence and contribution to modern Ghanaian music is undisputed, even in terms of production. True music fans know he’s a ‘Man of the People’, doing best to match the vast musical preferences of fans.

    During a Skype interview with MzGee on TV3’s ”New Day” yesterday April 14, 2020, E.L revealed how his next wave of music wouldn’t just be for anybody, expressing; ”I’m just in a class of my own. I’m not for everybody. I don’t want to be for everybody”.

    He went on to comment ”I don’t want to be a mass production artist and be in everybody’s top five. I want to be in the top five of people who matter and they are not many”.

    The act went on to comment on a recurring tag Hip-Hop/Rap fans might be super fond of, namely the ”King of Rap” moniker.

    E.L expressed; ”Nobody has to die. Let’s just calm down, nobody has to die for anything to happen. We are supposed to be making music and there is no competition in music. Music is supposed to be uplifting, it’s supposed to affect your emotions. But with the other things that come with it? That is why I don’t really like to take part in all the extra stuff”.

    When it came to speaking about competitiveness among artists, the ‘Efa Wo Ho Ben’ hitmaker was of the view that only competitiveness that lead to a positive growth and development for involved parties were to be encouraged.

    E.L recently shared the video for his well-received single ‘Efa Wo Ho Ben’ which received massive applause from fans, media and entertainment practitioners.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Governments free meals rather promote the spread of coronavirus – Van Vicker

    Award-winning actor Van Vicker disagrees with the distribution of free meals by the government of Ghana to citizens amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Ghana.

    In a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, the government of Ghana has issued an extension of the lockdown.

    In addition, he has offered to absorb water bills and 50 per cent of electricity bill for the next three months for citizens in the affected areas.

    He further announced distribution of free meals to over 400,000 Ghanaians in locked-down areas.

    However, Van Vicker believes the distribution of free meals will cause more harm than good.

    According to the 42-year-old actor, the distribution method defeats the purpose of the exercise, adding that social distancing and precautionary measures are not observed.

    He said in an Instagram post on Wednesday (April 15): “I know here in Ghana our people mean well by helping to distribute food to the needy, excellent initiative. However, we might want to reconsider the food distribution method which seems to defeat the whole purpose of the exercise. It defeats social distancing; it defeats people gathering with no mask. It is rather promoting the spread of the virus, essentially. Extremely disquieting. I got the video I posted here as a forward and it pleased me so I decided to share hoping the right person sees it and change the food distribution method.”

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Coronavirus: German zoo may have to feed animals to each other

    Zoos that should have been crowded in the sunny Easter holidays are now hard-up and asking for donations, as the coronavirus lockdown bites.

    A zoo director in northern Germany has even admitted that some animals might soon have to be fed to others, if the zoo is to survive.

    “We’ve listed the animals we’ll have to slaughter first,” Neumünster Zoo’s Verena Kaspari told Die Welt.

    Berlin Zoo has infant panda twins, but their fans can only watch them online.

    The zoo’s spokeswoman Philine Hachmeister told DPA news agency “the panda twins are adorably sweet”.

    “Constantly we’re thinking ‘the visitors should be watching them live’. We don’t want the little pandas to be grown up by the time we finally reopen.”

    Big appetites

    Ms Kaspari at Neumünster Zoo said killing some animals so that others could live would be a last resort, and “unpleasant”, but even that would not solve the financial problem.

    The seals and penguins needed big quantities of fresh fish daily, she pointed out.

    “If it comes to it, I’ll have to euthanise animals, rather than let them starve,” she said.

    “At the worst, we would have to feed some of the animals to others.”

    Ms Kaspari’s zoo belongs to an association, which is not covered by the state emergency fund for small businesses.

    She estimates the zoo’s loss of income this spring will be about €175,000 (£152,400).

    Besides direct appeals for public donations, Germany’s zoos are jointly requesting government aid worth €100m, DPA reports.

    Germany’s national zoo association (VdZ) argues that zoos, unlike many other businesses, cannot go into hibernation and run down costs. Animals still have to be fed daily and looked after, while a tropical enclosure has to be heated above 20C.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Grand Master of Freemasons orders members to release cash to support Ghana’s coronavirus

    The Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of Ghana E.C., R.W. Bro. Isaac Owulaku Hood has issued a “Masonic call to Alms” to all his brethren to support the fight against Covid-19.

    In a release dated 10th April 2020, the masons have elected to resource the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in their fight against Covid-19 by channelling resources to them.

    The Grand Master noted that there has been “ready and generous responses” from the masons since the appeal and it is likely they will exceed the target they set for themselves. He urged all the Lodges in the District (Ghana) to embark on their own special appeal to be completed before 20th April.

    R.W Bro Isaac Owulaku Hood noted that the names of some masons of “doubtless rank and fortune” are prominently and conspicuously missing from the contributors. “Needless therefore to state I look forward most expectantly to their contributions shortly,” he wrote.

    Read the letter below:

     

    Source: mynewsgh.com

  • Coronavirus: South Korea holds elections in masks and clinics

    South Korea has been holding an election unlike any other.

    Voters wore masks and stood at least 1m apart. They had their temperature taken, disinfected their hands and wore plastic gloves.

    Only then were they given their voting slip and allowed to head into the booth to cast their ballot.

    These are just some of the measures taken to allow the scheduled National Assembly election to take place during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Three hundred seats at the National Assembly are being contested. Thirty-five parties have registered candidates, but the race will be between the ruling Minjoo (Democratic) Party and the main opposition, the conservative United Future Party.

    The government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak has dominated all discussions during this election. It has eclipsed fears of a struggling economy and a number of corruption scandals involving presidential aides.

    The National Assembly elections are seen as a bit of springboard to test candidates and party popularity ahead of the presidential elections in 2022.

    After voting closed on Wednesday, exit polls published by the three main broadcasters suggested President Moon Jae-in’s ruling Democratic party had won the majority of seats and increased its majority.

    The full results will take time to count, but polling also suggests that the North Korean defector and Pyongyang’s former deputy ambassador to the UK, Thae Yong-ho, could win a seat in Gangnam, the capitalist heart of Seoul. If confirmed, he will be the first defector from the North to win a seat in the South.

    ‘Our right to vote’

    Some critics feared the vote would be chaos. Instead, all I observed on the days of early voting was calm.

    People quietly stood in line at the designated mark, patiently waiting their turn.

    “I thought maybe the election should be postponed because people wouldn’t turn up,” one young female voter told us. “But now that I’m here and see so many others, I’m not worried.”

    The fear of infection didn’t keep people away. Overall the turnout was 66% – the highest in 16 years.

    More than 11 million people, about 26% of the population, cast their votes in advance. Some by post, but most travelled to early polling stations which were set up around the country on Friday and Saturday.

    It was also the first time that 18-year-olds were allowed to vote. We met a number of them at Seoul Station all excited to take part. The pandemic did not put them off.

    “This is about our right to vote,” said one waiting in a queue.

    “Voting is something we must do,” said another first-time voter. She admitted that the plastic gloves were a little bit “inconvenient” but they made her feel safe.

    Voting from quarantine in clinics

    South Korea has never postponed an election. Even during the Korean War in 1952, the presidential elections went ahead.

    The challenge for officials was how to avoid the risk of infection.

    They decided that if someone had a temperature above 37.5C, they would be taken to a separate voting area and kept separate from other people.

    Patients being treated for coronavirus were given the option of mailing their ballot.

    But polling booths were also set up outside residential centres, which care for hundreds of people with mild symptoms. We watched as one woman in a mask emerged from a facility in her hospital gown and was handed her ballot by staff in full protective clothing.

    The booth was outside to help prevent the spread of infection.

    “At first thought I couldn’t vote and I was disappointed,” she told the news agency Reuters. “But once I heard we would be able to vote as well I was thankful for this opportunity.”

    One of the biggest issues has been how to allow the 60,000 people in quarantine across the country to head to the polls.

    They have been under strict instructions to only vote at certain times and in designated polling stations. They could leave their homes from 17:20 until 19:00 on the day of polling, they couldn’t use public transport and could only walk or use their own car. They had to call health officials when they returned to their homes, otherwise, we were told, police officers would be despatched to find them.

    A number of people have already broken quarantine rules in South Korea in the last month, which is why the authorities are monitoring this so closely.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Global economy expected to shrink sharply due to coronavirus, WEO says

    The global economy is expected to shrink sharply by three percent in 2020 because of the Coronavirus pandemic, according to the World Economic Outlook for April.

    In its release copied to the Ghana News Agency, it said this contraction would be much worse than during the 2008-09 financial downturn.

    In a baseline scenario that assumes that the pandemic fades in the second quarter of the year and containment efforts can be gradually unwound, the global economy is projected to grow by 5.8 percent in 2021, as economic activity normalises, helped by policy support.

    The statement said effective policies are essential to forestall the possibility of worse outcomes and the necessary measures to reduce contagion and protect lives are important investments in long-term human and economic health.

    It said since the economic fallout would be acute in specific sectors, policymakers would need to implement substantial targeted fiscal, monetary and financial market measures to support affected households and businesses domestically.

    It added that strong multilateral cooperation was essential to overcome the effects of the pandemic internationally including helping financially constrained countries facing twin health and funding shocks and for channeling aid to countries with weak health care systems.

    Meanwhile, the IMF has described the global decline as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

    It said the pandemic had plunged the world into a “crisis like no other”.

    The Fund added that a prolonged outbreak would test the ability of governments and central banks to control the crisis.

    Gita Gopinath, the IMF’s Chief Economist, said the crisis could knock $9 trillion off global GDP over the next two years.

    While the Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook praised the “swift and sizeable” response in countries like the UK, Germany, Japan and the US, it said no country would escape the downturn.

    It expects global growth to rebound to 5.8% next year if the pandemic fades in the second half of 2020.

    Source: GNA

  • Nigeriens with coronavirus moved to Police Hospital after detention

    The two Nigeriens who were tested positive and detained at the Accra Central Police station have been moved to the Police Hospital.

    Citi News sources indicated that health personnel from the police hospital took over the case after some intervention from Nigerien authorities in Ghana.

    The two Nigeriens caused a stir when they refused to undergo care at the Ga East Municipal Hospital on Monday and attempted to leave the facility without authorisation.

    The two also reportedly threatened staff with a sharp object saying that they will not stay at the facility.

    They were arrested on April 5, 2020, in Accra when a taxi they were in was stopped by police enforcing the partial lockdown.

    The two could not give tangible reasons for their movement, sparking suspicion and their arrest.

    Further investigations by police led to a medical test on them at the Ridge Hospital and the positive test result for the virus came back on April 13, 2020.

    The Ashanti Regional Immigration Command also had some encounters with 20 Nigeriens who were eventually repatriated.

    These 20 were arrested at Juaso in the Asante Akim South District on March 17.

    Also, eight Guineans and two Burkinanbes who entered Ghana illegally tested positive for the virus and are also set to repatriated.

    Notably, one of the eight Guineans who tested positive for the novel coronavirus escaped from the facility in which they were being quarantined in Tamale but was later arrested.

    A total of 641 novel coronavirus cases have been recorded in Ghana with eight deaths and 83 recoveries.

    The Greater Accra Region has the most number of cases with 514; the Ashanti Region has 53; Eastern Region, 41; Northern Region, 10; Volta Region, nine; Upper West Region, seven; Upper East Region, four; North East Region, one; Western Region, one and the Central Region with one.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Instruct banks to give customers 3-month loan repayment holiday Mahama to BoG

    The Bank of Ghana must come to some agreement with the various commercial banks so that they put a three-month moratorium on all loan repayments as the country battles COVID-19, former President John Mahama has suggested.

    Ghana has, so far, recorded eight deaths from the six hundred and thirty-six cases confirmed in the country.

    At a ceremony to present rice, oil and canned fish to the Ga Traditional Council, the Tema Traditional Council, the Kpone Traditional Council, the Awutu Senya Traditional Council, the Asanteman Council, the Council of Zongo Chiefs in both Accra and Kumasi and the umbrella bodies of faith-based organisations and people living with disability, for onward distribution to some twenty thousand households in the locked-down areas of Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa, the flag bearer of the NDC said though the government has instituted several measures to lessen the economic burden on Ghanaians as a result of the lockdown, it was important for the Bank of Ghana to sit with the various banks to offer customers some reprieve.

    “A further measure, which would go a long way to cushion SMEs and individual Ghanaian families, would be for the Bank of Ghana to open a dialogue with the banks and financial institutions to offer a 3-month moratorium on payment of debts to borrowers”, the former President proposed.

    “I understand one bank has already voluntarily announced such a concession.

    “This will be helpful at a time many Ghanaian businesses are shut and breadwinners of families have had to stay at home and cannot earn an income”, he added.

    Republic Bank Ghana was the first bank to give a six-month loan repayment holiday to its customers when the virus broke out in Ghana. A few banks followed suit with other packages.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Internet cost: Government, telcos must work to cushion Ghanaians Mahama

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Mahama has urged the government and telecommunication companies to urgently work towards easing the internet challenges of consumers amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    The pandemic has led to a partial lockdown of Accra, Kasoa, Kumasi and Tema as well as the closure of schools and bans on public gatherings.

    A lot of schools have tried to move classes online whilst a number of professionals have taken to working from home to ensure social distancing.

    Speaking on the matter after announcing the donation of food items to some 20,000 households, Mr. Mahama argued that some relief on internet expenditure was in order.

    “This has drastically increased their expenditure on internet usage to the extent to the extent that some can no longer cope. Indeed there are reports of several students being unable to complete online lectures because their data run out. Several people are also working from home.”

    As a solution, Mr. Mahama urged government to assure the telcos of a free six months extension of licenses to motivate them to reduce the cost of internet.

    “This value can be applied to cushion consumers during this three-month period,” he noted

    He suggested that telcos can also be compensated with funds from the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC), “which already has the mandate to ensure universal access to telecommunication.”

    “Furthermore, the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) should leverage its robust broadband infrastructure…to meet the increased demand for wireless and fixed broadband in these COVID-19 times.”

    Mr. Mahama further reiterated calls for the removal of the 50 percent increase in the Communications Service Tax which he said: “will provide further relief for the many who are having to work or stay at home at this time.”

    So far, the government has provided extra spectrum to Vodafone and MTN Ghana so as to improve data quality.

    Some citizens have made calls for a reduction in data costs.  But commenting on the matter in March, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN argued that reducing the cost of data to boost communication amidst the pandemic, could increase traffic that will affect internet speed.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • CAL Bank moderates stock market and dominates trade

    The benchmark index moderated by 1.2 points (-0.06%) due to CAL Bank (-2.44%) to begin the week at 2,134.04 with a -5.45% year-to-date return while market capitalization decreased by 0.02% to settle at GH¢ 55.55 billion.

    Accordingly, the GSE Financial Index declined marginally by 2.23 points (-0.12%) to close at 1,877.78 with a year-to-date return of -7.02% while the SAS Manufacturing Index remained unchanged at 3,203.29 with a -7.99% year-to-date.

    Trading activity weakened as 3,783 shares valued at GH¢ 3,728 changed hands from 111,200 shares valued at GH¢8,084 at the previous session. CAL Bank dominated trades by volume and value, accounting for 92.52% of the total volume traded and 75.11% of the total value traded.

    We expect trading activity to pick up as investors take advantage of bargain stocks.

    Source: SAS Ghana

  • Don’t allow careless people endanger lives of law abiding citizens – Edem

    Despite the numerous education about the need for social distancing to curtail the spread of coronavirus, some people still defy these guidelines.

    Recently, some people have been spotted making merry at the beach, some partying during the Easter celebrations and others defying the lockdown to go ahead with their marriage ceremonies.

    Edem speaking in an interview with Amansan Krakye of Radio Central fame has questioned the logical thinking and mindset of these people.

    “First of all, we need to carry the education messages in different local languages so that people can understand it very well. However, we have some special types of human beings who have different ideologies and mindset.

    “Some people will say they will die regardless, whether they are infected with coronavirus or not, so they don’t just care about all the precautionary measures”

    “That’s why the law and its enforcement agencies must work to ensure that we don’t allow such people to endanger the lives of innocent and law abiding citizens,” he said.

    Source: Frank Mensah, Contributor

  • Lockdown: Allow cement traders to sell – Businessman

    Private businessman, Mr. Yaw Oketeku has appealed to the president to exempt traders in the cement industry from the lockdown.

    Speaking to Nyakonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, the businessman said they risk having their cement in their stores damaged should the lockdown continue.

    According to him, they are only appealing to the president to allow them to open their shops for a short period to sell the wares they currently have.

    He said the longer the time of storing cement the less useful it becomes since affects its strength.

    He explained that if the cement is stored for longer time and strength is found to be reduced, then it is not good for construction.

    Meanwhile, the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has commended the president for the directive to lockdown.

    Mr. Ampadu Siaw, the Co-Chairman of the association commended the president for the directive in place to contain the virus but raised concerns over their inability to move their goods from the port.

    He said the lockdown is affecting import charges and has therefore asked that they are allowed to clear their goods.

    Traders who are also in the wood industry are also calling for a review of the lockdown.

    A former organizer of the Timber Market Wood Traders Association, Mr. Kwasi Tomful bemoaned the damage the lockdown is having on some of their woods.

    He said some of the wood they have in stock are being damaged by insects and ants.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Coronavirus has spoilt my chances of winning VGMA ‘Artiste of the year ‘ – Kofi Kinaata

    Award winning highlife artiste and songwriter, Kofi Kinaata, has stirred massive controversy by claiming that he would have won VGMA Artiste of the Year and Most Popular Song of the year if Coronavirus hadn’t disrupted the event.

    In an interview with Amansan Krakye on Radio Central in Cape Coast, Kofi Kinaata said, “as for 2019, hands down without sounding arrogant I am by far the artiste of the year and I’m not saying 2020. I did more than any artiste in that year with hit songs, several ambassadorial deals, numerous shows that I performed and on top of all I was adjudged the most influential youth”

    “This doesn’t mean that if the awards scheme should happen today I would be expecting to win the artiste of the year by hook or crook. I believe I’m the artiste of the year in 2019 and anyone’s opinion doesn’t bother me”

    When he was asked whether he’s not scared of Sarkodie’s monster banger ‘Oofeetso’ he said:

    “Oofeetso is a good song and I really respect my senior colleague Sarkodie. But when we say most popular song then it means that song crossed boundaries which I believe my song ‘Things fall apart’ stands tall”

    “There is an alcoholic drink called Bailey’s which is very expensive but you can only find it at night clubs. There is another drink called Coca Cola which is not expensive but you can find it at night clubs, churches, mosques and even Saudi Arabia where alcoholic beverages are not sold.

    “That’s the horizon that ‘things fall apart’ attained, it was everywhere and that’s what we call most popular song” he explained.

    Kofi Kinaata has released another mind-boggling song dubbed ‘behind the scenes’ to entertain his fans in this period of partial lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Source: Frank Mensah, Contributor

  • Clemento Suarez crowns Lilwin as the best comic act

    One of Ghana’s finest comedians Clemento Suarez has tagged Kwadwo Nkansah “Lilwin” as the “Messi” and “Sark” of the movie comedy industry.

    According to Clemento Suarez, Lilwin is arguably the best act in Ghana considering how long he had reigned in the industry as well as his impressive exploits in the music industry.

    This is what Clemento Suarez had to say about Lilwin as he celebrates his 32nd birthday on Wednesday, April 15, “The Sark in the comic game. Arguably the best to have done this.

    “Before his intro into the scene there were great legends in the likes of Water Proof, Santo, Super OD, Idikoko, Waakye, Agya Koo, etc but like Sark or Messi, Lilwin had been the longest reigning comic act in the nation.

    “Fortunately for us, he is still active and working on great stuff. By far the most successful actor to do music in the country.”

    Source: GNA

  • Sarkodie discourages me from replying social media insults – Tracy Sarkcess

    Wife of Sarkodie, Tracy Sarkcess on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 opened up to her followers on twitter by granting them the opportunity to ask her any question dubbing it #SrAskTracySarkcess.

    Many questions flowed in with some breathtaking response from the First Lady of Sarknation.

    One interesting question came from a follower who sought to inquire how Tracy deals with insult directed at her husband and whether she is the one who advises the “Highest” not to reply.

    According to her, Sarkodie has been the one to courage her from replying insulting messages directed at her.

    Read her tweet below

    Source: sammykaymedia.com

  • Angry GIJ students kick against online exams

    Irate students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) have kicked against online examination being introduced by the management of the institute.

    Authorities at GIJ on Wednesday, April 15, issued guidelines informing students of the online examinations scheduled for May 26. Similar directives were also issued by the University of Professional Studies, Accra, (UPSA) informing their students of e-exams scheduled for Monday, May 18.

    The UPSA stated that their final exams will take the form of take-home assignments which will be completed offline and submitted online within a specific period.

    But students of GIJ have kicked against the mode of their online examinations. Some students who spoke to Starrfm.com.gh stated that authorities at the institute have failed to address concerns raised since online learning started almost a month ago when schools in the country were shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    According to some students, the university took the decision without consulting the student body. They claim some lecturers have not been active with the online lectures meaning students will suffer if exams are held online.

    The students also complain that some of their colleagues come from rural areas and have returned to their homes when the Institute was closed down and a lockdown declared in the capital. The students claim that such students will be greatly affected if the institute goes ahead with the e-exams.

    “How can they ask us to write online exams when most of our colleagues live in rural areas with very poor internet connectivity. Not all of us have laptops and smartphones so how do they expect us to write the exams online. They are trying to help us graduate but they must also be concerned about some of the challenges that some students go through. There are students who are yet to make full payment of their fees and because of this COVID-19, their parents are home, how can they complete their payment to participate in the e-exams they are talking about,” a student told Starrfm.com.gh

    The students are also angry that Project Work which is a requirement for final year students has been converted into Term Papers without any form of consultations with the student body.

    According to the students, most of them have completed 70 percent of their projects and converting them to Term Papers will be a burden.

    “We will kick against this latest directive by the management, they behave like autocrats and failed to even consult some of us in the SRC. How can you take such decisions that affect students without inputs from the SRC? This is really unfair and we will kick against this move,” a member of the SRC told Starrfm.com.gh on condition of anonymity.

     

    Source: starrfm.com.gh

  • Lockdown: Orderliness returns to food distribution after implementation of new guidelines

    There is calm and orderliness at various food distribution centres to vulnerable citizens in Accra and Kumasi following the implementation of new guidelines by government.

    Following the partial lockdown of Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi, government announced a daily distribution of 400,000 hot meals to vulnerable citizens, but the exercise turned chaotic with scores of people scrambling for their share of the food.

    As the chaotic situation threatened the objective of the lockdown and social distancing, government has introduced new guidelines for the distribution of food items to ensure the safety of both distributors and receivers.

    The new guidelines require that recipients of food items and other essentials form a queue by observing social distancing. Officials from NADMO and the Municipal and District Assemblies are in charge of the distribution.

    With the required social distancing queue formed, distributors give out the food from one person to the other in a calm manner

    Today at Tema Station – one of the biggest food distribution centres in Accra – the new guidelines were implemented and it ensured an orderly and safer distribution of food to a large number of people.

    Before the food was distributed, an officer explained to the people the importance of observing social distancing, and the people showed their understanding and appreciation by applauding.

    All officials tasked with distributing government food and other essentials in the locked down areas have been cautioned to strictly abide by the new guidelines and ensure that all communities adhere to the social distancing protocols before food items are shared.

    Reports in Kumasi say various food distribution centres have also started implementing the new guidelines.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Todays newspapers front pages

     

     

  • Coronavirus: Mahama advocates for use of herbal medicines

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has made a strong case for traditional and herbal medicines as he has advocated for it to be used in treating COVID-19.

    Mr. Mahama made the call on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, when he donated food items to some 20,000 households in areas affected by the partial lockdown.

    “It is time to explore the role of alternative medicine and traditional remedies in the fight against the Coronavirus. Some traditional medicines are known to boost the immune system and can help both in the prevention of people succumbing to the disease and also play a role a palliative function in the management of persons suffering from COVID-19,” he said.

    He called for a collective approach towards the contact tracing and surveillance.

    “I wish on this note to reiterate my call for a broader participation of traditional leaders, heads of faith-based organizations, Assemblymen and women and local CSOs in the efforts at contact tracing, surveillance and public education in respect of the COVID-19 disease”.

    In this regard, I call on the President to urgently meet with the National House of Chiefs and solicit the support of our chiefs in this regard. This is also important considering the reported resistance communities are putting up against the use of facilities in their area for setting up isolation centers.

    “My brothers and sisters, the worrying trend of the increase in confirmed cases of Coronavirus infections 566 as at yesterday calls for a dedicated commitment by us all towards supporting the fight against the infections”.

    “The latest extension of the lockdown period is accordingly appropriate. We must help our security personnel to enforce the directives and ensure that movement during this period is minimized in order to stop the spread of the virus”.

    Considering the new cases being discovered, it is clear that we are entering a new phase where there is the beginning of a horizontal spread of the disease. This requires us to redouble our efforts in the battle against the pandemic.

    In his view, more testing centres need to be set up in order to shorten the waiting time for results. This is necessary so that appropriate models of the expected trajectory of the disease can be developed in order to guide any decisions on easing the restriction of movement of people.

    “We must set up a National COVID-19 Command Centre equipped with appropriate communication systems and bank of phone lines with volunteers keeping in touch with persons who are in quarantine, persons who are in isolation, those who are awaiting results and those suffering symptoms of the disease.”

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Coronavirus: We can only use herbal drugs if proven effective – Oko-Boye

    The Deputy Minister-designate for Health Dr. Oko-Boye has given support to the use of herbal medicines to treat coronavirus should they be approved and vetted by the appropriate authorities.

    The legislator who is being vetted today [Tuesday] told the committee “Most of the time, the issue has been the science of the herbal medicine,”

    He was responding to a question he was asked.

    According to him, science will be the determining factor in whether herbal medicine is used to treat the novel coronavirus.

    “Fortunately, or unfortunately, scientists want to stick to evidence and once your concoction is proven to be safe for use in human beings and also has efficacy, the appropriate bodies will grant the approval.”

    Mr. Mahama made the call on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, when he announced the donation of food items to some 20,000 households in areas affected by the partial lockdown.

    “It is time to explore the role of alternative medicine and traditional remedies in the fight against the Coronavirus. Some traditional medicines are known to boost the immune system and can help both in the prevention of people succumbing to the disease and also play a role a palliative function in the management of persons suffering from COVID-19,” he said.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Coronavirus: We need a national command centre – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has called for the establishment of a national COVID-19 command centre to help manage the country’s cases.

    The centre he suggested must be equipped with appropriate communication systems and bank of phone lines with volunteers keeping in touch with persons who are in quarantine, persons who are in isolation, those who are awaiting results and those suffering symptoms of the disease.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2020 presidential candidate noted that contact tracing is very critical in this phase of the fight against the pandemic.

    Reports that persons engaged in contact tracing are threatening to cease work are worrisome.

    “The government should immediately take steps and appropriately incentivize these people so that they can continue the critical work they are involved in. We must also watch out for the increasing stigma developing around this infection. There are reports that person who have tested positive have fled their communities because of fear and ignorance about the disease,” he added.

    He continued: “This development of suspected cases can hinder the fight against the virus, especially in the light of the CDC estimation that one infected person has the potential to infect as many as 500 other people.

    Public awareness needs to be stepped up. Messages developed in all the major local languages should be created and played extensively on all media, public and private.

    Government can utilize a clause in the NCA Act that compels media both public and private to provide airtime to air messages such as this in times of emergency. This clause proved useful during the fight against Ebola and can come in handy again at this time.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Volta Regional Minister inspects 40-bed coronavirus treatment center in Ho

    Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister Wednesday inspected a 40 bed COVID-19 Treatment Centre in Ho.

    The facility is an extension of the Ho Teaching Hospital and has nurses station from where patients will be monitored on screens.

    Other treatment centres in the Region are located at Bator in the North Tongu District, Aflao- in Ketu South Municipality and the Hohoe Municipality.

    Dr Emmanuel Kasu, Head of Public Health, Ho Teaching Hospital who conducted the Regional Minister round the facility said apart from an in-house pharmacy, the Centre had restrooms for doctors and nurses.

    He said the facility would focus on innovations and research to provide quality health care services to the citizens.

    Dr Letsa said, ” we are set and ready for COVID-19 with these isolation and treatment centres.”

    He expressed the hope that the Region would soon be ahead of the virus given the “aggressive enhanced” contact tracing ongoing.

    The Volta Region on Sunday, April 12, 2020, recorded nine cases of COVID-19.

    The cases were recorded in Ketu South, Ho and the Hohoe Municipalities.

    Authorities and stakeholders have since heightened public education and enforcement of preventive measures with enhanced surveillance at unapproved borders.

    Source: GNA

  • Nigerian pleads not guilty after flouting Restrictions Order

    A 34-year-old man, James Chukwuka who failed to comply with the Restriction Order and allegedly took the blood samples of pregnant women and some residents at Gbese in James Town to test for their sugar levels has made his second appearance in Court.

    Chukwuka who is currently being held for failing to comply with the Restriction Order pleaded not guilty.

    The Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs. Afia Owusua Appiah, remanded the accused person to reappear on April 30.

    The facts, as presented, by Chief Inspector Gulliver Tenkorang was that, the accused resides at Accra Newtown, and that on April 4, this year, at about 0900 hours, the Police had information that he was taking blood samples, checking Blood Pressure and sugar level of residents including pregnant women at the Gbese Community, near James Town in Accra.

    Chief Inspector Tenkorang said the Police proceeded to Gbese and arrested the accused, a Nigerian national who had in his possession a glucometer, thermometer, test strips, and gloves.

    He said during interrogation, the accused informed the Police that he was a distributor of food supplements but admitted he went to Gbese to take blood samples of his supposed clients.

    The prosecution said during investigations it came to light that Chukwuka did not fall within the exemption group with regards to the Imposition of Restrictions on all persons in Accra, Tema, Kasoa, and Kumasi.

    The prosecution said a pregnant woman who lives in Gbese confirmed to the Police that her blood sample was taken by the accused.

    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the President, by Executive Instrument 65 and in accordance with the provisions of the Imposition Restrictions Act 2020 (Act 1012) imposed a two-week restriction on movements in Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Tema and Kasoa.

    Source: GNA

  • Cerebrospinal Meningitis deaths soar to 40 in Upper West Region

    Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, has indicated that the region has recorded 258 cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) with 40 deaths within the period of January 1 to April 12, 2020.

    He said the death rate of the disease stood at 15.5 per cent and described it as a worrying situation.

    Dr Bin Salih said this in Wa at a media briefing on the status of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and CSM cases in the region.

    He said about 80 per cent of the CSM deaths recorded was as a result of late reporting to the health facility.

    The Regional Minister indicated that though the sero-type X meningitis, which was affecting the people in the region, had no vaccine it could be treated.

    He thus appealed to the public to report immediately to the health facilities anytime they experienced symptoms such as stiffness of the neck and fever among others.

    He explained that the region received 7500 vials of ceftriaxone, 1,100 infusions and five packs of pastorex from the World Health Organization (WHO) and additional 540 vials of ceftriaxone from donors to fight it.

    Dr Bin Salih added that a team of medical experts were sent to the region to help manage the situation of CSM.

    Talking on the COVID-19, the Regional Minister stated that the six cases recorded in the region on Sunday, April 12, were all imported cases.

    He said five of those cases were people who travelled into the country about three weeks ago from South Africa, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany before the President announced the closure of the borders, while the sixth person travelled into the region from Western Region.

    The six new cases recorded brought the total number of confirmed cases in the region to seven with no death recorded.

    He added that the immediate contact person of the first recorded case in the region was tested negative of the virus.

    Dr Bin Salih observed that 2,731 travellers entering the region were screened, with 56 suspected cases being recorded, 14 travellers on manifest, two of the travellers quarantined and 33 samples collected so far.

    “What really is of huge challenge and concern to all of us is the discrimination and stigma attached to people suspected of having the virus,” he said

    The Regional Minister, therefore, urged the public to consider the coronavirus as any other disease and to desist from discriminating and stigmatizing against victims of the virus.

    Source: GNA

  • Upper West coronavirus cases imported – Minister

    Upper West Regional Minister, Hafiz Bin Salih, says the six COVID-19 cases recorded in the region on Sunday, April 12, were all imported cases.

    He said five of those cases were people who travelled into the country about three weeks ago from South Africa, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany before the President announced the closure of the borders, while the sixth person travelled into the region from Western Region.

    The six new cases recorded brought the total number of confirmed cases in the region to seven with no death recorded.

    He added that the immediate contact person of the first recorded case in the region was tested negative of the virus.

    Dr Bin Salih observed that 2,731 travellers entering the region were screened, with 56 suspected cases being recorded, 14 travellers on manifest, two of the travellers quarantined and 33 samples collected so far.

    “What really is of huge challenge and concern to all of us is the discrimination and stigma attached to people suspected of having the virus,” he said.

    The Regional Minister, therefore, urged the public to consider the Coronavirus as any other disease and to desist from discriminating and stigmatizing against victims of the virus.

    Source: dailyguidenetwork.com

  • Minister directs Assembly to heighten surveillance along Ghana-Cote D’Ivoire borders

    Mrs Evelyn Ama Kumi- Richardson, the Bono Regional Minister has directed the Dormaa West District Assembly to heighten surveillance at communities along Ghana Cote d’Ivoire borders to stem the import of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) from neighbouring countries.

    She said 24-hour surveillance activities ought to be strengthened particularly at Yaakrom, KofiBadukrom and Frimpongkrom, communities, as the government stepped up measures to help control the local transmission of the COVID-19 in the country.

    The Regional Minister said the government had provided GHC50,000 to the District Assembly to fight the COVID-19 and the Assembly authorities were expected to do much particularly at the border towns.

    Interacting with Assembly members, security services and key staff of the Dormaa West District Assembly at Nkrankwanta on Tuesday, Mrs Kumi-Richardson assured the government was doing all things possible to contain the spread of the disease.

    But, she emphasised Ghanaian residents along the various border towns in the area had a high risk of contracting the disease and advised them to contribute their quota in ensuring new cases of COVID-19 were not imported into the country through those unapproved routes.

    Mrs Kumi-Richardson told the Assembly to ensure the seven unapproved routes identified in the district were closed down and directed the security services to beef up security presence at those routes to check the influx of irregular migrants who could spread the disease in the local communities.

    Mr Ali Maige, the Member of Parliament for Dormaa West advised the people to bury their political differences and forge ahead in unity towards the fight of the COVID-19.

    He indicated the government directives on the CPVID-19 was in the supreme interest of the nation and advised Ghanaians to comply.

    Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyei, the Dormaa West District Director of Health said 180 health officials and 25 community volunteers had been trained to help manage the spread of the disease in the area.

    He said the directorate had set aside two cubicles as isolation centers at the district hospital at Nkrankwanta to manage suspected cases of the COVID-19.

    Mrs Mary Ameyaa, the Dormaa West District Chief Executive, commended the security services and the district directorate of health for their support in helping to stem the spread of the COVID-19.

    Source: GNA

  • Shops closed in Koforidua markets to check coronavirus spread

    Shops in all major markets in Koforidua have shutdown following earlier directives from the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly last week.

    The directive, meant to compel buyers and sellers to observe social distancing within the markets, asked all non-food items traders to stop selling until further notice.

    The traders include cloths sellers, second-hand clothes dealers, jewellery and beads dealers, dressmakers, hairdressers, cosmetics and shoes sellers among others.

    A tour around the Koforidua Central Market, the Juaben Serwaa Market and the Agatha Market saw all the shops trading in clothing, shoes and hardware among others locked.

    Only stalls and shops trading in essentials and edibles could be seen open for business.

    Also, traders who sell along pedestrian lanes and streets have all been sacked from those places creating ease for all pedestrians.

    The Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben South, Ike Appaw-Gyasi, giving the directive last week, indicated that all the non-food traders were to suspend their activities starting from Sunday, April 12 to April 26, 2020, subject to review.

    The New Juaben South, according to the Regional Health Directorate recorded two suspected cases of Coronavirus which are awaiting confirmation or otherwise from the Noguchi Memorial Center.

    Until then, the NJSMA has no COVID-19 case recorded but local authorities think it would be best to put some stringent measures in place to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic in the Municipality.

    Presently, the Eastern Region has recorded a total of 32 COVID-19 cases with 31 coming from the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality while the other one case comes from the Fanteakwa North District.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: Number of recovered persons up to 83

    A total of 83 infected persons have recovered from the novel Coronavirus in Ghana, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

    The 83 were part of the 268 confirmed cases under routine surveillance.

    The total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 641 while the number of people dead remains 8 as of Wednesday, April 15, 2020.

    “The breakdown of the 641 positive cases is as follows; 17 have been treated, reverted to negative on repeat tests and discharged.

    “Furthermore, 66 have tested negative once and awaiting the second test. This brings together a total of 83 cases that have been recovered/discharged. 548 cases have been categorised as mild disease and are on treatment, two are categorized as moderate to severe cases, none in the critical state currently and eight have died,” the Ghana Health Service indicated on their official website.

    The GHS stated that “five new cases were recorded in the following locations; one from Adenta Municipality, two each from Ayawaso East and Ayawaso Central Municipalities. With the exception of one of the cases from Ayawaso East, all the new cases are asymptomatic.”

    Meanwhile, contacts of the new cases are being listed for follow up, the health service noted.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ghanas coronavirus case count up by 5 to 641

    The number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Ghana now stands at 641, according to the latest update by the Ghana Health Service on Wednesday, April 15, 2020.

    On Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases, according to the GHS, was 636.

    Meanwhile, 83 infected persons have recovered from the novel Coronavirus in Ghana.

    “Two weeks since the institution of enhanced surveillance, restriction of movement and continuous public education to prevent the spread of cases of COVID-19, several cases have been recorded.

    “As of 14th April 2020, at 23:00HRS, a total of 50,719 persons have been tested with 641 being positive for COVID-19. The breakdown of the 641 positive cases are as follows: 17 have been treated, reverted to negative on repeat tests and discharged. Furthermore, 66 have tested negative once and awaiting second test. This brings together a total of 83 cases that have been recovered/discharged. 548 cases have been categorised as mild disease and are on treatment, two are categorized as moderate to severe cases, none in critical state currently and eight have died,” according to the Ghana Health Service.

    The Ghana Health Service also indicated that “the five new cases were recorded in the following locations; one from Adenta Municipality and two each from Ayawaso East and Ayawaso Central Municipalities. With the exception of one of the cases from Ayawaso East, all the new cases are asymptomatic. Contacts of the new cases are being listed for follow up.”

    “Of the 641 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 268 were reported from two from the routine surveillance, 258 from enhanced surveillance activities and 115 from travellers who were previously under mandatory quarantine in Accra and Tamale.”

    Based on the data presented, there are currently 60% males and 40% females infected with the virus.

    Currently, the regions that have reported cases are Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Western, Volta, Northern, North East, Upper East, and Upper West regions.

    Below is the Regional breakdown

    Greater Accra 514

    Ashanti 53

    Eastern 41

    Northern 10

    Volta 9

    Upper West 7

    Upper East 4

    North East 1

    Western 1

    Central 1

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • UK has ‘no plans’ to stop funding WHO

    UK has ‘no plans’ to stop funding WHO The UK has “no plans” to follow the US and stop funding the World Health Organization.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said the WHO had “an important role to play in leading the global health response” adding that the UK had contributed £75m ($93m) towards efforts to stop the coronavirus.

    The spokesman did not comment on US President Donald Trump’s decision to halt funding to the WHO.

    On the issue of UK care workers, Downing Street said 3,300 had been invited to be tested for Covid-19, although it was not known how many had been.

    Rules would also be changed “straight away” so that patients being discharged from hospital into care homes would be tested for coronavirus before they left.

    The spokesman said “extensive work” was being done on an exit strategy from lockdown restrictions.

    But, he said that, for now, the focus needed to be on getting the public to stay at home while capacity is built in the NHS.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Kante prefers Chelsea stay amid Real Madrid, Barca interest

    N’Golo Kante remains keen to stay at Chelsea despite reports in the Spanish media linking him with a transfer to Barcelona and Real Madrid.

    Kante has missed 20 of Chelsea’s 42 games this season due to a host of injuries to his hamstring, knee and ankle, and concerns over his long-term fitness have seen Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho strike up a good partnership in his absence.

    Meanwhile, Billy Gilmour’s emergence and Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s return from injury add to Frank Lampard’s options with Ross Barkley and Mason Mount also in the squad.

    Chelsea are also monitoring Lille’s 21-year-old midfielder Boubakary Soumare but he currently ranks lower on the club’s priority list than a left-back and another forward.

    Manager Lampard is yet to signal to any of his first-team squad whether or not they will be surplus to requirements in the off-season as he bids to create a competitive training environment until the end of the coronavirus-hit campaign.

    Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has long been an admirer of Kante and is said to be looking for a back-up option for Casemiro, with Rennes’ 17-year-old wonderkid Eduardo Camavinga and Soumare also on the Blancos’ shortlist.

    But Kante, who is currently Chelsea’s highest-paid player on £290,000 ($362k) per week, is unlikely to accept a back-up role.

    Barcelona would interest Kante as well but only if he was told that Chelsea want to sell him ahead of the summer, with reports in Spain claiming the Blaugrana would be willing to offer Philippe Coutinho in exchange as part of a swap deal.

    Kante is settled in London and he has three years left on his Blues contract but he previously harboured ambitions of playing for one of Spain’s big two clubs at one stage in his career.

    N’Golo Kante Chelsea

    Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, along with Serie A giants Juventus, were interested in Kante when he signed for Chelsea from Leicester for £32 million ($40m/€36m) in 2016.

    French champions PSG had wanted to create a homecoming story for the World Cup winner. However, he has been cautious about returning home due to off-field legal issues with his former agents.

    Kante has denied allegations in the French investigative publication Mediapart which suggested that he was threatened at gunpoint to sack his agent Abdelkarim Douis by his former advisors in Paris.

    The report goes on to say that the dispute was resolved upon Kante’s contract renewal in 2018, with an agent fee being shared between his current agent and his former advisors.

    However, in February 2020, Kante’s ongoing legal battle with his former image rights advisor Nouari Khiari were detailed in L’Equipe.

    Meanwhile, like all their fellow Premier League clubs, Chelsea are training at home with advice coming in from the coaching team on routines to keep fit ahead of a return to action which will be in mid-May at the earliest.

    Lampard has been in regular contact with his squad and he is using the increased amount of time to do some long-term planning for the club’s future.

    “We have the good young players, we have had experienced players around them that have helped them this year, but we know there are little areas within the squad [we can improve],” Lampard told Sky Sports.

    “Some of that’s what we have already, some of that’s how we might look to recruit going forward.

    “This period now with what’s going on in the world has made it very difficult to plan too much on [transfers], how this is going to look in weeks or months going forward.

    “We have to have different versions of plans going forward in terms of how it looks.”

    Meanwhile, the official announcement over youngster Tino Anjorin’s new contract is expected to come this week after agreeing on a deal in principle to renew it a fortnight ago.

    Chelsea have also begun early talks to see if they can agree on a deal to keep Olivier Giroud at Stamford Bridge with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

    Source: Goal.com

  • Danish schools begin reopening after month-long closure

    Denmark began reopening schools for younger children on Wednesday after a month-long closure to combat the novel coronavirus, becoming the first country in Europe to do so.

    Nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools were restarting after they were officially closed on March 17 in an effort to curb the COVID-19 epidemic, though many had shut before then.

    However classes are only resuming in about half of Denmark’s municipalities and in about 35 percent of Copenhagen’s schools, as others have requested more time to adjust to health protocols. All are expected to reopen by April 20.

    In the centre of the capital Copenhagen, some 220 pupils up to the second grade arrived at the Norrebro Park Skole, welcomed by their teachers who waved Danish flags. Children in the third and fourth grade will follow on Thursday.

    The children quickly settled into the reorganized classrooms designed to comply with strict new sanitary guidelines.

    “I feel great, really good about the kids going back to school,” Caroline, a 38-year-old and mother of two, told AFP.

    In early April the country’s centre-left government announced that schools would be reopened “on the condition that everyone keeps their distance and washes their hands.”

    But while schools are gradually reopening, bars, restaurants, hairdressing and massage parlours, shopping centres and discos remain closed, and gatherings of more than 10 people are banned.

    Schools are required to ensure that a distance of two metres (about six feet) is maintained between desks in classrooms and recesses must be organised for small groups.

    A headache for teachers is that they must ensure that pupils are never in groups of more than two while inside and five outside.

    Socially distanced teaching

    To adhere to guidelines, the school in Norrebro has divided the classes into two or three groups, limiting the number of students in a classroom to 12.

    Bottles with hand sanitiser are never far away to encourage students to clean their hands regularly.

    “We have the space because we’re using the classrooms usually used by the older grades who are working from home now,” said headmaster Henrik Wilhelmsen, adding that it would present an issue when older students also return.

    Some parents have opposed the reopening of schools, citing health concerns. A petition dubbed “My child is not a guinea pig” has garnered some 18,000 signatures.

    Wilhelmsen told AFP that around 15 parents had informed the school that they would not bring their children back.

    Others however trust their government’s judgement.

    “I think we’re all going to be sick at one point and they told us the children are going to be less sick and affected by this virus,” said Caroline, the mother.

    “I think it’s good that they’re going back to school… We need to go back to daily life,” she added.

    Middle and high school students will however continue remote classes and are only expected to return to classrooms on May 10.

    According to the latest figures on Wednesday morning, Denmark had 6,876 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus and 299 deaths.

    Before Denmark, Austria was the first European country to unveil its roadmap for a return to a “new normal”.

    On Tuesday, it allowed small non-food shops to open up, while maintaining social distancing rules and requiring masks to be worn in shops and on public transport.

    Austria plans to keep schools, cafes and restaurants closed until at least mid-May.

    Source: France24

  • India allows rural poor to work in virus lockdown

    Millions of people in rural India will be allowed back to work next week despite a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, the government said Wednesday, as it conceded the hardships of shutting its vital farming economy were too great.

    Restrictions on movement in the world’s second-most populous nation of 1.3 billion people put in place in late March, have hit the poorest the hardest, including rural migrant workers and other labourers.

    In cities and towns, usually bustling streets are deserted with shops shuttered, while jobless migrants who did not manage to make the long journey home to villages, often on foot, are living in crowded shelters in cities.

    The lockdown has also taken place during the harvest season, with farmers worried their reaping and sowing cycles will be severely disrupted and place further pressure on India’s food supply chain — already hit by transport delays.

    “To mitigate hardship to the public, select additional activities will be allowed,” the Home Affairs Ministry said.

    “The revised consolidated guidelines are aimed at operating those sectors of the economy which are critical from the perspective of rural and agricultural development.”

    Under the new guidelines to be implemented from April 20, agriculture and related sectors including farmers’ markets, logistics, repair shops and brick kilns will be restarted.

    Strict measures will be enforced, including the wearing of face masks or coverings.

    Some factories such as manufacturing will also be re-opened but staffing will be limited and working hours staggered.

    Factory owners are required to try and provide dormitories for workers or arrange special transport to and from the plants.

    Refineries, coal production and some construction will also be permitted.

    The rural and industry sectors make up about 40 percent of India’s GDP. Some 70 percent of India’s workforce lives in rural regions.

    Many fear India’s lockdown has pushed millions of workers, particularly in the informal economy, deeper into poverty.

    “There are no buyers and I’m selling very little,” vegetable seller Waseem Ahmed at a market in the capital New Delhi told AFP Wednesday, adding he did not know where or when his next meal would come from.

    Ahmed, who is 28 and supports a family of 10, said he couldn’t even leave the wholesale market as local police were beating anyone seen outside during the lockdown.

    India has reported just over 11,400 coronavirus cases including 377 deaths. But experts warn that more testing needs to be done to gauge how widely the infectious disease has spread.

    There are concerns that weaker public health care systems in South Asian nations will be unable to cope with a major outbreak.

    Source: France24

  • Over two million coronavirus cases recorded globally

    More than two million cases of the new coronavirus have been officially registered around the world, half of them in Europe, according to a tally compiled by AFP at 1000 GMT Wednesday based on official sources.

    At least 2,000,576 infections, including 126,871 deaths, have been recorded.

    Europe is the hardest hit continent, with 1,010,858 cases and 85,271 fatalities.

    The United States, where the virus is spreading most rapidly, registered 609,240 cases, and 26,033 deaths.

    The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organisation, probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. Many countries are testing only the most serious cases.

    Source: punchng.com

  • Top clubs in Europe and China chase Spieza forward Emmanuel Gyasi

    Ghanaian forward Emmanuel Gyasi has popped up on the radar of clubs from Europe and China, GHANASoccernet.com can exclusively reveal.

    The inform Spieza forward is being chased by clubs from Portugal and Belgium as well as teams from the Chinese Super League.

    Gyasi is having his most prolific season in Europe with Serie B side Spieza, where he netted six times before the league was halted due to coronavirus.

    According to sources close to the player, some clubs from Belgium and Portugal have been monitoring his performances in the Serie B.

    Meanwhile, an unnamed Chinese side has also expressed interest in the 26-year old.

    The former Torino forward has been an integral member of Spieza Calcio for the past two season.

    Gyasi can play across all positions upfront and has the pace and strength to give defenders trouble.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Kotoko overtake Hearts as Ghanaian club with most following on social media

    Asante Kotoko have surpassed their bitterest rivals Hearts of Oak to emerge as the Ghanaian club with most following on social media according to the latest ranking by African Football Digital Benchmark.

    The rankings were done taking into consideration the followers, likes and subscribers to the club’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Periscope, LinkedIn and YouTube pages or channels.

    Asante Kotoko have across all digital platforms 402,000 followings, while Hearts of Oak are just a place behind the Porcupine Warriors sitting at the 28th position with a total of 382,000 followers from their six digital communities.

    The Porcupine Warriors are ranked 27th on the list of top 30 clubs with the most following on social media, with Hearts of Oak lying 28th on the list.

    Asante Kotoko for some time now have been doing so well on the field of play, having consistently participated in the African inter-club competitions, whereas Hearts of Oak last represented Ghana in continental football in 2015 and this might have contributed to the increase in the social media following of the former.

    Hearts of Oak had been leading Asante Kotoko in the rankings for years.

    Source: pulse.com.gh