Tag: coronavirus in Ghana

  • Bibiani market women receive education on coronavirus

    The Public Health Emergency Committee under the Bibiani Municipal Health Directorate in conjunction with the Municipal Assembly has carried out public education on COVID-19 prevention for market women in the area.

    The team, comprising personnel from health institutions, National Commission for Civic Education, Environmental Health and Municipal Assembly, moved through the market with information vans, telling the people how to protect themselves against infection of the deadly disease.

    The officials placed Veronica buckets with soap, hand sanitizers and tissues at vantage locations in the market and areas around the central business district of the Municipality.

    Mr Samuel Ansah, Public Health Officer of the Municipal Health Directorate and Madam Martha Nneka Oparah, the NCCE Director and other members of the team, advised the traders to adhere to personal hygienic practices.

    The traders were encouraged to practise regular handwashing, use hand sanitizers and maintain their environments clean, in order to save themselves and their communities from the deadly disease.

    A cross section of the traders interviewed by the GNA, appreciated the efforts of the team, but bemoaned the low turnout of buyers, due to the COVID-19 scare.

    Mrs. Deborah Mensah and Uncle Ebo, dealers in Plastic wares and mobile phone accessories respectively, and Araba Saah Awuah, an iced water seller, all expressed similar sentiments, and prayed for divine intervention to save the situation.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus education, consider needs of persons with disability

    The National Council on Persons with Disability has advised the Presidency to incorporate and prioritized the needs of persons with disabilities in the National Relief Plan of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

    A statement issued by the Executive Secretary of National Council on Persons with Disability, Ms Esther Akua Gyamfi and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday said that Persons with disabilities particularly, persons with auto-immune conditions and persons with multiple disabilities were most likely to have their immune systems easily compromised by this virus.

    The Council gave the advice when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo granted them an audience.

    The delegation was led by the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Council Mr. Yaw OforiDebra, also included; Mr. Alexander Williams and Mr. Mathew Kubachua from Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, Dr. Akwasi Osei of Mental Health Authority, Special Mothers Project represented by Mrs Hannah Awadzi and Mr Frimpong Manso, a Sign language interpreter.

    The Council urged the government to make a budgetary allocation towards strategies that target persons with disabilities in the eradication of COVID-19.

    The statement said access to information is often a barrier for persons with disabilities who have specific communication needs including; the deaf, deafblind, the hard of hearing, the non-verbal.

    “They remain at a higher risk of being socially isolated if deliberate measures are not implemented to include them.”

    It, therefore, called on the government to have specific communication needs including; the deaf, the hard of hearing, the non-verbal in the sensitisation on COVID-19.

    Others include; sign language interpretations at least within the period of COVID-19 and all information on COVID-19 meant for the public should have a video version with subtitles, captioning and sign language interpretation.

    Social distancing is the biggest form of concern to persons with disabilities who depend heavily on human support to go about their daily activities, “The message on social distancing education without the disability component leaves persons with disabilities vulnerable, neglected and potentials for abandonment”.

    The statement said sensitisation on social distance must stress on the need for the personal assistants, caregivers, guides to washing their hands and arms and sanitize their hands and arms as they offered support to persons with disabilities.

    The Council, however, commended the Government for providing the public with relevant information and awareness on the COVID-19 epidemic, and providing sign language interpretation in some of information dissemination sessions aimed at updating Ghanaians on the situation in the country.

    Source: GNA

  • Deputy Minister advises parents to restrict movements of their children

    Parents and guardians have been urged to restrict the movement of their children to protect them from contracting the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

    Mrs Freda Prempeh, the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection who gave the advice entreated parents to teach their children proper handwashing with soap, as the government stepped up measures to control the stem of the Disease.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after a presentation ceremony held in Goaso in the Ahafo Region, Mrs Prempeh who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North constituency said children were also vulnerable to the COVID-19, though they had strong immune systems.

    The Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) presented items such as Veronica buckets, washing bowls, medicated soaps, dustbins and sanitizers to the various Municipal and District Assemblies in the region to aid hand washing in their localities.

    Mrs Prempeh said it was dangerous to allow minors to hawk and sell on the street, and called on parents to allow their children to engage in that to stop such practice in order not to expose them to avoidable dangers.

    She applauded the intensified public education on the COVID-19, and commended President Nana Akufo-Addo for the measures put in place to control the spread of the disease, but added the education ought to be intensified in the rural areas as well.

    The Deputy Minister said Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) especially the deaf, blind and dumb should also get full benefit of the public education to protect them against the COVID-19.

    Mrs Prempeh said she procured 5000 sanitizers and 100 Veronica buckets and soaps to be distributed to people in her constituency.

    Mr Evans Opoku-Bobie, the Ahafo Regional Minister emphasised that the RCC would monitor and warned that Assemblies that failed to use the items for the intended purpose would not be spared.

    Source: GNA

  • Church supplies water to UER hospital

    The Eastwood Anaba Ministries (EAM) in collaboration with Desert Pastures, a branch of Fountain Gate Chapel (FGC), Bolgatanga, has supplied water to the Upper East Regional hospital, and presented handwashing facilities to aid health service delivery.

    The hospital for the past one week had challenges with the Ghana Water Company in the Region, which led to the disconnection of water supply to the facility compelling management to rely on water tankers for water supply.

    The situation affected health care delivery, especially in the wake of the Coronavirus Disease, where handwashing among health care staff and patients at the facility was critical in prevention and control.

    Over the years, the EAM supported the hospital, especially the Paediatric Department with mattresses, curtains and some consumables.

    Reverend Michael Ayikade, the Executive Pastor of Desert Pastures in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the hospital, said the Church was a partner in national development, and health was one of the critical areas in the development of the nation.

    He said Reverend Eastwood Anaba, the President of the EAM and Senior Pastor of the FGC, Desert Pastures took the initiative to support the hospital when he received information from management of the hospital about its plight on Tuesday morning.

    Reverend Ayikade disclosed that the Senior Pastor immediately directed that six trips of water be supplied to the hospital, while they mobilized to solve the water situation in the facility.

    “We have plans to do a better search hydrologically to find aquifers and deposits of water within the vicinity to drill some boreholes to support while the issue between the hospital and the Ghana Water is being sorted out.”

    “Without running water we cannot be talking about washing hands with soap, we are contributing our quota to get that in place for people to observe the protocols given to us by the Ghana Health Service”, he said.

    The church also presented five “Veronica Buckets” and other handwashing facilities to the hospital, while plans were underway to purchase 22 more “Veronica Buckets”, which were not readily available in the market, to support effective hand washing, the Executive Pastor said.

    Reverend Ayikade said eventhough the FGC and EAM believed in prayer, they also believed in pragmatic steps to ensure that the Ghana Health Service protocols on COVID-19 were observed to keep the Region safe, “the church will always help the hospital in any regard that the church has the capacity to help”, he added.

    Mr Zakariah Yakubu, the Head of Administration of the Hospital said when management of the hospital contacted the leadership of the FGC and EAM about the water problem, they quickly responded.

    “The mobilization has been swift and we are grateful for the quick intervention, the Veronica Buckets were also delivered in less than 30 minutes. We as a health institution take infection prevention and control seriously, one cannot do infection prevention and control without water.”

    He said the hospital had serious challenges with service delivery due to the cut off of water supply and described the support from the FGC and EAM as a “big boost” to the hospital.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: Education Minister appeals to telecos to zero rate educational materials

    Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Education, has appealed to telecos operating in the country to zero-rate educational materials.

    He said the zero-rating of educational materials by the telecos, would enable distance learning content to be provided for students for free in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

    Speaking at the Meet the Press Series in Accra, Dr Opoku Prempeh said, he was hopeful that through the support of the Ministry of Communication, they would get all telecos companies to zero rate content delivery in education; so that Ghanaian students could participate.

    He noted that the programme was very much dependent on collaboration between the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Communication.

    “We also hope, through the Ministry of Information; radio stations and TV stations will see the national agency in participating in their quota to ensure that educational content is delivered,” he said.

    Dr Opoku Prempeh said some TV stations had informed his outfit that they were having 24-hour channels and that they would turn them up for educational content; stating that “and we need more”.

    “We need free to air broadcast so that everybody, everywhere in the country; as soon as there is a TV you can get access to that,” he said.

    “Likewise we want to implore radio stations to help as much as they can. To me, broadcast, when we start (will have) periods in kindergarten, periods in lower primary, periods in upper primary, periods in junior high school and senior high school.”

    Dr Opoku Prempeh said the Centre for Distance Learning Organisations had developed an online programme for the course contents in the Senior High School and was ready to go.

    He said it had already even given every senior high school student password and access to an icampus system; where on the icampus system they have notes with exercises, over 20,000 interactive quizzes, audiovisual learning including virtual laboratories.

    Others are interactive lessons and over three thousand sets of notes and audiovisual resources form opened educational resources.

    The Minister said these materials were already available to every senior high school student who accesses with his password on icampus and was available for free.

    He said one of the reasons why they wanted the Ministry of Communication to come in, was that in certain parts of the country it was only one telecos network, which was predominantly; however, when they got all the networks to buy into it and zero rate it for them, they could be sure for all senior high school students it was available for them.

    “For the junior high school students, we have an institution that is already broadcasting it in the junior high school and upper primary in parts of Eastern Region and Volta Region; that have made their studios available for us to develop the content and also broadcast it.”

    He said the group prime international had made available five studios for them so that they could bring in more teachers to help them deliver the core subjects content area.

    He mentioned that collaborating with non-state actors included Scholastic, Plan International, Edumundo, and development partners and other telecommunication networks that had spoken to.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: Government constitutes team of experts to enhance education

    Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Education, said government has constituted a team of experts to come up with immediate short, medium-term plans to aid online education in the wake of the school’s closure.

    The school’s closure took effect on Monday, March 16, after the President issued a directive in a broadcast address on COVID-19 update to prevent the spread of the disease.

    The team comprised persons from the Ministry of Education, the National Council for Tertiary Education, Ghana Education Service, and the Center for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling.

    The rest include the Ghana Library Authority, and the Curriculum Assessment Agents who are to ensure that whatever they come up with every student or learner in the country can participate.

    Dr Opoku Prempeh, speaking during a media briefing on the country’s update on the disease, said the team had been tasked to conceptualize feasible solutions for the short, medium and long terms to ensure education continues through traditional, social media, online among others.

    He said the Ministry had involved the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Communication in order to engage with the radio and TV stations as well as the telecommunication industry to assist them by deploying whatever they attempt to do students.

    The country, as well as the world, are in difficult and dangerous times and everybody must chip in his or her best in the fight against the pandemic, he stated.

    “The virus needs human beings to move and until we stopped the travel we will keep transporting it.

    “That is why we are still advising people that if it is not essential travel please do not embark on the journey to stop the spread,” he added.

    He empathized that the school’s closure was a total shutdown in the country both private and public thus, any head of the institution who attempts to keep students after the announcement does so at his/her own risk.

    He said with the cancellation of all examinations for final years at Junior High and Senior High schools, there was no need to keep students.

    “If you care to know all international exams even in their parent countries have been cancelled so there is absolutely no reason for institutions to try and keep students,” he said.

    According to the Minister, in other to enhance the fight, the Ministry has split its staff into two, to allow for social distancing and find other means of engaging with partners, stakeholders, staff and employees so that movements does not aid the spread of the disease.

    Ghana has confirmed a total of 68 cases of COVID-19 with two deaths. The existing 66 cases are in isolation receiving and responding to treatment.

    Source: GNA

  • Worldometer revises Ghanas Coronavirus cases back to 68 but maintains death at 4

    Worldometer, a website which compiles COVID-19 new case numbers worldwide, on Wednesday 25th March 2020 updated Ghana’s cases to 93 and 4 deaths, but has since reversed the numbers to the previous figures 68 confirmed cases, 4 deaths.

    Reports using former figures suggested that, Ghana had supposedly recorded 25 more cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) bringing the total number of active cases to 89.

    The Ghana Health Service however still has the numbers at 68 confirmed cases, 4 deaths since it was last updated on 25th March, 2020 | 19:05 GMT.

    Worldometer is an international tracker which solely reports on the novel Coronavirus, uses data from the World Health Organisation in its report.

    Ghana Health Service in its report on on 25th March, 2020 noted that, the sudden spike in the case incidence was attributed to the mandatory quarantine and compulsory testing measures put in place by the government.

    A total of 1,030 persons are under mandatory quarantine; samples from 863 of them have been tested and was confirmed positive.

    Greater majority of the confirmed cases are Ghanaians, who returned home from affected countries. Seven are of other nationalities namely: Norway, Lebanon, China and UK.

    In respect of contact tracing, a total of 829 contacts have been identified and are being tracked.

    A total of 826 contacts have been enlisted and being tracked.

    Nineteen people have completed the 14 days of mandatory follow up.

     

  • Coronavirus: 4 dead, 93 confirmed cases in Ghana

    A fourth coronavirus patient has succumbed in Ghana, the website of the Daily Guide newspaper has reported.

    It also said the number of confirmed cases has increased from sixty-eight to 93.

    Hours before the fourth death, a third casualty was reported on Wednesday at the Military Hospital in Accra.

    She was the wife of a two-star army general.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the government to lock down the country with immediate effect to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

    The GMA says only essential services such as food, water and medicine businesses should be allowed to operate.

    “The lockdown, though not a comfortable decision for leadership and citizens alike, is a proven option backed by science and along with the other measures will ultimately be in our best interest.

    “We call on all Ghanaians to support such a move in the national interest to save our nation from the devastating effects of this pandemic,” the GMA said in a press statement released Wednesday.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Ghana records first coronavirus recovery

    A Chinese man in Ghana has recovered fully after contracting the deadly coronavirus.

    He was one of the few people who flew into the country in the early stages of the outbreak in Ghana.

    He was quarantined after showing symptoms which matched the case definition of the Ghana Health Service. Further tests proved positive for COVID-19.

    After a few days of treatment at the Atonsu Agogo Hospital in the Ashanti Region, he showed remarkable improvement.

    He walked out of the facility on Wednesday after being certified clean of the virulent infection following several tests that showed he was negative.

    The government is expected to provide further details of the recovery soon.

    Ghana has recorded 68 cases of COVID-19 with three deaths within two weeks after the infection was first detected.

    Two Ghanaian women and a Lebanese man succumbed to the infection. They were all reported to have other underlying health conditions that provided fertile ground for the coronavirus pathogens to cause havoc.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is calling for a total lockdown of the Greater Accra Region, which has recorded the highest number of cases.

    The Ministry of Health identified Accra, Tema and Kumasi as the epicentres of the virus.

    Even though the government has imposed a public ban on mass gatherings and closed the borders of the country, the GMA communicated in a press release on Wednesday that the best option to contain the virus was a total ban on movement except for essential service providers.

    “The lockdown though not a comfortable decision for leadership and citizens alike is a proven option backed by science and along with the other measures will ultimately be in our best interest.

    “We call on all Ghanaians to support such a move in the national interest to save our nation from the devastating effects of this pandemic,” the statement said.

    Across the globe,  the virus has killed 20,912 people out of 463,418 cases. 113,802 people have recovered from the virus using different treatments.

    source: theghanareport.com

  • Kpando Marquart Hospital distressed over lack of emergency center

    The Margret Marquart Hospital in the Kpando District of the Volta Region is in distress as the facility lacks adequate facilities to contain emergency and other essential services.

    The hospital which services attracts patients from several communities in the Volta and Oti Regions risked worse situation should the deadly Coronavirus is recorded as there has not been enough dedicated quarantined Centres.

    Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Eric Gyanfi, disclosed this when the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kpando Constituency, Hon Della Sowah, visited the facility to access their preparedness to handle the current situation. She also presented Personal Protection Equipments (PPE) against the COVID-19.

    Dr Gyanfi said dire consequences await the facility as there was no any preventive and protective equipment provided to the Hospital.

    He added that, since the record of the virus in Ghana, no preventive measures has been provided to the Hospital by high authorities as medical staff risk to attend new patients without testing kits nor protective equipment.

    According to him, information on the virus has not been taken seriously as he often hears adverts for Herbal products in the media rather than the deadly virus which is sweeping thousands of lives across the globe.

    The Hospital which admits not less than ten new patients in a day due to the proximity to other Districts communities also does not have facilities for caretakers of patients, especially pregnant women and children.

    Member of Parliament for Kpando, Della Sowah, was at the hospital as part of her social intervention policies in the constituency and presented boxes of medical items as well as antiseptic liquid soap, hand sanitizers, Veronica buckets, among others.

    She said the reason for making the donation to the Hospital was to help reduce the risk of transmission of the Coronavirus.

    According to her, the health facility is one of those health centres that have a large number of residents seeking healthcare, especially pregnant women and the aged, hence the donation.

    Using methods ranging from simple hand-wiping with antiseptic liquid soaps, sanitizers, among others, Hon Della Sowah said is the common way to halt the transfer of the virus by touch.

    She charged residents of the constituency to take note of the measures by washing their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-containing antiseptic solution.

    Additionally, people are advised to keep a distance of approximately one meter from the interlocutors with signs of the disease and as well try not to touch their eyes, lips, and nose with their hands as the virus could penetrate through the mucous membranes.

    She used the opportunity to call on the government to release the $100 million fund to support the deprived hospitals to help fight the deadly Coronavirus.

    Mr Emmanuel Tordi Hanson, Administrator of the Hospital expressed gratitude to the MP for remembering the people at the difficulties time and promised to use them for the purpose intended.

    He, however, appealed to other stakeholders to emulate same to help in the fight against the deadly Coronavirus which has been globally described as a pandemic.

    As part of protective measures, people are advised to keep a distance of approximately one meter from the interlocutors with signs of the disease and as well try not to touch their eyes, lips, and nose with their hands as the virus could penetrate through the mucous membranes.

    The COVID-19 which was first recorded in Wuhan China and spread out the world has claimed thousands of lives and dozens of people infected still in hospitals and other treatment centres.

    Though the virus originated in China, Italy is the worse affected country across the world. The number of recorded deaths there recently overtook those in China.

    Italy initial reported 651 coronavirus deaths and saw its toll for the past month reach 5,476, the highest in the world.

    Since the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus, Ghana has recorded about 68 confirmed cases, out of which three are reportedly dead as at Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

     

    Source: therepublicnewsonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Implement one-man-one-sanitiser policy NDC MP Aspirant to government

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate for Suhum, Amanda Okyere Kwatia, has said although prayers are good to deal with the novel coronavirus infection in Ghana, the country needs more practical measures from the government.

    She said on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM Wednesday, March 25 that countries that are dealing with the outbreak of the infection do not rely heavily on prayers but rather practical solutions.

    She explained that although Italy is the hub of Christianity, the plague is killing more people in that part of the world, a situation she said demonstrates that faith alone is not enough to the deal with the menace.

    Her comment comes in the wake of the nationwide prayers ad fasting on Wednesday against the coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.

    Ghanaians all over the country including Muslims, Christians are observing the prayers and fast as part of the solution to the problem.

    But Ms Kwatia said: “We all know Italy has Vatican City where the Pope prays all the time but the virus is killing them. It tells you that although prayers are good that alone without practical measures cannot deal with the problem.

    “The questions we should be asking is what measure has the President actually implemented to deal with the problem”?

    She added: My suggestion to the president is that he can implement a one-man one-sanitiser policy.”

    Responding to her claim also on the same show, Freda Agyeman Sarpong, an aspiring Parliamentary candidate for Adentan on behalf of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said the government has taken measures which include the closure of borders and also quarantining persons who travel into the country.

    She stated that the government is not relying on prayers alone.

    “Travelers who come into the country are being quarantined and also we have measures like the closure of the entry ports into the country.”

    She added: “We should be very careful not to politicise this matter because the virus knows no politician.”

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Lockdown the country now GMA to Government

    The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the government to lock down the country with immediate effect to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

    The GMA says only essential services such as food, water and medicine businesses should be allowed to operate.

    “The lockdown though not a comfortable decision for leadership and citizens alike is a proven option backed by science and along with the other measures will ultimately be in our best interest.

    “We call on all Ghanaians to support such a move in the national interest to save our nation from the devastating effects of this pandemic,” the GMA said in a press statement released Wednesday.

    Ghana has recorded 68 cases of COVID-19 with 2 deaths as at 25 March 2020.

    At a press conference on Tuesday, Information Minister Mr Kojo Opong Nkrumah said the government has not considered a lockdown but all options are on the table

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • 12 more persons on mandatory quarantine test positive for COVID-19

    15 new cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in Ghana. The number is made up of 12 persons who were mandatorily quarantined by the government and three other persons in the general population.

    This increases the total case count of the disease to 68 in Ghana with two deaths.

    “The sudden spike in case incidence is as a result of the mandatory quarantine and compulsory testing for all travelers entering Ghana, as directed by the President,” the Ghana Health Service reported.

    “Overall, 30 of the 68 cases have been reported in the general population with the remaining 38 cases among persons currently under mandatory quarantine. As of 24 March, total of 1,030 persons are under mandatory quarantine; samples from 863 of them have been tested and 38 confirmed positive,” the GHS added.

    All the active cases have been isolated and receiving treatment.

    1,030 mandatorily quarantined 

    A total of 1,030 people are on mandatory quarantine. On Tuesday [March 24, 2020], 26 of them had tested positive for COVID-19. With the new case announcement on Wednesday [March 25, 2020] a total of 38 of those mandatorily quarantined have been confirmed to have the virus.

    167 of those under mandatory quarantine are yet to be tested.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Ghana records 3rd COVID-19 death as wife of retired Navy chief dies

    Another person who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus in Ghana has died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

    This brings to three the coronavirus death toll in the country, after a Lebanese male national resident in Kumasi, and another elderly woman also in Kumasi died, although they had underlying health conditions.

    Citi News understands that the third person, believed to be in her 70s, is the wife of a retired Navy chief.

    According to the source, the husband of the deceased, who is an unnamed retired Rear Admiral is currently receiving treatment.

    It is unclear how the deceased contracted the disease, but the source said she has had a recent travel history.

    New cases 

    The novel coronavirus cases recorded in Ghana have risen to 68.

    This follows 15 new cases confirmed by the Ghana Health Service on Wednesday morning.

    12 of the new cases were from the travellers who were put under mandatory quarantine and subjected to mandatory testing.

    Ghana has recorded 41 cases in the last two days.

    But most of these cases have been attributed to mandatory testing for the persons in quarantine.

    Overall, 30 of the 68 cases have been reported in the general population, with the remaining 38 cases among persons currently under mandatory quarantine.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Coronavirus: Ghana’s death toll climbs to 3 – Report

    Ghana’s death toll in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has risen to 3. This is according to Accra-based Joy FM.

    Although not official, Joy FM claims the third death was recorded at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

    The media outfit also claims the deceased is the wife of a two-star general.

    The husband, according to Joy News, has also contracted the virus and is in critical condition.

    They further claimed that both of them contracted the virus when they received a parcel from the United Kingdom.

    Officially, Ghana has recorded 68 cases of coronavirus after 15 more persons who were mandatorily quarantined by the government tested positive.

    According to the Ghana Health Service, “The sudden spike in case incidence is as a result of the mandatory quarantine and compulsory testing for all travelers entering Ghana, as directed by the president.

    “Overall, 30 of the 68 cases have been reported in the general population with the remaining 38 cases among persons currently under mandatory quarantine. As of 24 March, total of 1,030 persons are under mandatory quarantine; samples from 863 of them have been tested and 38 confirmed positive.”

    “Great majority of the confirmed cases are Ghanaians, who returned home from affected countries. Seven (7) are of other nationalities namely: Norway, Lebanon, China and UK.

    “In respect of contact tracing, a total of 829 contacts have been identified and are being tracked.

    “Total of 826 contacts have been enlisted and being tracked. Nineteen (19) people have completed the 14 days of mandatory follow up.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Markets in Ashanti Region to be closed on Friday for mass spraying

    Markets in Ashanti Region to be closed on Friday for mass spraying as part of measures to help curb the communal spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana.

    more to follow…

    Source:  Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor- https://www.graphic.com.gh/

  • Coronavirus: Ghana’s death toll climbs to 3 – Report

    Ghana’s death toll in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has risen to 3. This is according to Accra-based Joy FM.

    Although not official, Joy FM claims the third death was recorded at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

    The media outfit also claims the deceased is the wife of a two-star general.

    The husband, according to Joy News, has also contracted the virus and is in critical condition.

    They further claims that both of them contracted the virus when they received a parcel from the United Kingdom.

    Officially, Ghana has recorded 68 cases of coronavirus after 15 more persons who were mandatorily quarantined by the government tested positive.

    According to the Ghana Health Service, “The sudden spike in case incidence is as a result of the mandatory quarantine and compulsory testing for all travelers entering Ghana, as directed by the president.

    “Overall, 30 of the 68 cases have been reported in the general population with the remaining 38 cases among persons currently under mandatory quarantine. As of 24 March, total of 1,030 persons are under mandatory quarantine; samples from 863 of them have been tested and 38 confirmed positive.”

    “Great majority of the confirmed cases are Ghanaians, who returned home from affected countries. Seven (7) are of other nationalities namely: Norway, Lebanon, China and UK.

    “In respect of contact tracing, a total of 829 contacts have been identified and are being tracked.

    “Total of 826 contacts have been enlisted and being tracked. Nineteen (19) people have completed the 14 days of mandatory follow up.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: Our only hope now is God – Agyinasare to Ghanaians

    General Overseer of the Perez Chapel, Bishop Charles Agyinasare has appealed to Ghanaians to take the national prayer and fasting seriously against the coronavirus outbreak.

    Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5fm, the renowned man of God said, at this point, the only thing we can depend on is God.

    He told Kwabena Agyapong that countries such as the United States, China, Italy and others with strong health systems, economies had been hit hardest by the deadly coronavirus.

    He encouraged Ghanaians to also adhere to the safety protocols aside from the prayers to ensure the virus does not spread.

    ”What we need now is God. Our only hope now is to pray whiles we adhere to the safety measures in place. The wealthy countries such as the United States, China, Italy and others are unable to manage the situation. Ghana will have difficulties should we be hit like the others and so, we have to pray and ask God to intervene. We have to prayers seriously,” he admonished.

    On his part, the Founder of Alive Chapel International, Bishop Elisha Salifu Amoako, emphasised the need for the public to adhere strictly to the safety measures.

    He asked Ghanaians to eschew fears but trust in Ghana, pray and ask him to protect the country.

    He was hopeful with prayer, God will intervene.

    The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, Most Rev. Paul Kwabena Boafo, in adding his voice asked Ghanaians to continue to support the president in prayers.

     

    He said the church in Ghana would continue to offer prayers but asked the public to adhere to the measures in place to contain the spread of the virus.

    Current Update

    As of Wednesday morning, March 25 2020, a total of sixty-eight (68) cases including two (2) deaths have been confirmed. Sixty-six (66) of these confirmed cases are being managed in isolation.

    The sudden spike in case incidence is as a result of the mandatory quarantine and compulsory testing for all travelers entering Ghana, as directed by the president. Overall, 30 of the 68 cases have been reported in the general population with the remaining 38 cases among persons currently under mandatory quarantine. As of 24 March, total of 1,030 persons are under mandatory quarantine; samples from 863 of them have been tested and 38 confirmed positive.

    Majority of the confirmed cases are Ghanaians, who returned home from affected countries. Seven (7) are of other nationalities namely: Norway, Lebanon, China and UK.

    In respect of contact tracing, a total of 829 contacts have been identified and are being tracked.

    A total of 826 contacts have been enlisted and being tracked. Nineteen (19) people have completed the 14 days of mandatory follow up.

     

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Ghana records third coronavirus death at 37 Military Hospital

    Ghana has recorded its third coronavirus death at the 37 Military Hospital as the wife of a two-star general falls victim.

    According to Joy News sources, her husband who has also contracted Covid-19 is in critical condition.

    The source said both of them have not travelled abroad for some time now but it is suspected that they may have contracted the virus when they received a parcel from the United Kingdom from a courier company.

    Health authorities are now tracing the person who delivered the parcel as well as other people who have been in contact with the two after they received the parcel.

    Ghana now has 68 coronavirus cases, according to an update from the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

    This means that 15 more cases have been confirmed since the last cases were announced less than 24 hours ago.

    The virus, since it was first detected in the country earlier this month, has so far claimed two lives.

    Source: Abubakar Ibrahim | Myjoyonline.com

  • I’ll fast and pray harder today, God has the power to heal Chairman Wontumi

    As declared by President Akufo-Addo, all Ghanaians are to observe a national day of fasting and prayer on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 to seek the face of God in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

    The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party has made his intentions clear that he would be joining Ghanaians to fast and pray for God to drive away the coronavirus pandemic which has brought sorrow upon earth.

    “I am a man who believes in the power of Jesus Christ. He has the power to heal and make things anew. There is no power in heaven or on earth, under the earth that is powerful than the name of Jesus Christ. I will cry unto the Lord today. He will hear the prayer of Ghana and of his servant Wontumi. I am nothing before Him, but I know the care and protection he has given to me. I just him to heal this earth and protect Ghanaians”, he said.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked all Ghanaians to observe Wednesday, March 25, 2020 as a national day of fasting and prayer to seek the face of God in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

    This, he said, will be an addition to the adherence of measures rolled out to help contain the spread of the disease that has so far killed more than 11,000 people globally.

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • Kennedy Agyapong donates 3000 pieces of face masks to fight coronavirus

    Member of Parliament (MP) of Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has donated 3000 pieces of face masks to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

    The gesture, according to the lawmaker is to help doctors and nurses battling the coronavirus to protect themselves.

    Kennedy Agypaong assured that he will extend the donations to the other hospitals catering for coronavirus patients.

    “Since Ridge Hospital is one of the designated centres for Covid-19, it was in the right direction to donate the same”, he said, adding that, there were 7,000 more which would be given to other designated centres and other health centres”, he said.

    Mr Agyapong said Ghana should not wait for the disease to get out of hand and asked all to go by all the preventive measures to curb the situation.

    Dr Emmanuel Srofenyoh, Medical Director of the Hospital, praised Kennedy Agyapong for the gesture and called on others to emulate the kindness. He said the items had come at the right time and it would enhance service delivery.

    Source: Pulse.com.gh

  • Ghana gets share of Jack Ma Foundations medical supplies for coronavirus

    Ghana has received its share of a consignment of medical equipment donated by the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundations to help combat the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    This was announced by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dr Abiy Ahmed.

    The Prime Minister is one of the persons behind the initiative which is providing over 1.5 million laboratory diagnostic test kits and over 100 tons of infection prevention and control commodities.

    In a tweet on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said: “This morning #Gabon, #Ghana, #Congo and the #DRC have received their #COVID19 prevention materials.The 2nd shipment of supplies from @JackMa & @AlibabaGroup containing 540k medical grade masks and 20k protective clothes is on its way to #Ethiopia. Dispatch to Africa will continue”.


    This relief initiative was launched by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dr Abiy Ahmed, the Jack Ma Foundation, and Alibaba Foundation as part of actions towards implementation of the Africa joint continental strategy for COVID-19 led by the African Union through Africa CDC.

    Per the arrangements, Ethiopian airlines is to help distribute the equipment, consisting 20,000 laboratory diagnostic test kits, 100,000 medical masks, and 1000 protective suits and face shields, to each of the African member states as part of their contribution to the fight against COVID-19 in Africa.

     

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • COVID-19: Lets modify public transport policy to prevent spread Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appealed to transport operators and owners in Ghana to dialogue with the Government to find ways by which they can modify the existing public transport policy in order to support his administration’s efforts aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 which is currently sweeping across the globe.

    In an interaction with transport owners at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that it has become necessary for his government to engage transport owners to find ways through which their sector can make some compromises in the interest of public safety and health.

    “You are responsible for moving our people around the country, private and public transport. So comes the question, how are we going to organise it in such a way that our people can still move around but do so taking into account this disease that is ravaging the world. I want us to have a conversation top see the arrangements we can put in place to achieve same,” Nana Akufo-Addo said.

     

    Since Ghana recorded infection cases in the coronavirus pandemic, there have been calls for sweeping reforms in various sectors of the country’s economy. Prominent amongst the calls is the reduction of how many passengers public transport operators (Trotro) should seat per roll in order to observe the social distancing policy in public vehicles.

    President Akufo-Addo and the transport owners after the introductory remarks moved into a closed-door session to reach a compromise over the proposals of the government.

    Ghana has confirmed 53 cases of COVID-19 with two death.

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Tulenkey highlights the negative effects of the coronavirus disease in a dope song Listen

    The coronavirus disease is gradually taking over the lives of people in the countries it has hit real hard.

    It has affected literally everything that happens in many countries and Ghana has not been an exception.

    The negative effects of the deadly disease are what Ghanaian rapper, Tulenkey has highlighted in a creative way with his latest jam titled ”Corona”.

    Check out the song below:

  • National day of fasting & prayer: Nana Kwaku Bonsam urges Ghanaians to believe in God & fast

    Today, March 25, 2020, is one that has been declared by the president as a day all Ghanaians, no matter their religion must endeavor to fast and pray for the country in the wake of all the problems the deadly coronavirus disease has started causing.

    On the back of this, popular fetish priest, Nana Kwaku Bonsam has also urged Ghanaians to take the day of fasting seriously.

    According to his post, zionfelix.net has sighted, it is only the power of God that can lead Ghanaians and the world through this period of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

    He also pointed out that the failure of the supposed world superpower countries to be able to fight this disease and prevent its spread means that God should be the one people will bang their hope on for deliverance.

    See his full post below

  • Coronavirus: Youre a murderer if you hike prices of goods Sam George fires

    The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram,Samuel Nartey George has hit out at shops and traders over the hike in prices of products in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.

    According to him persons who engage in such acts are greedy, unpatriotic and are no different from murderers.

    The outspoken legislator said this during a presentation of some items to the Ningo-Prampram district health directorate worth GHc57,000 to help in dealing with the pandemic.

    The MP donated items such as hand sanitizers, nose mask, gloves, Veronica Buckets, bowls and personal protective equipment.

    “It took me four days to get the items and the prices are too exorbitant. The prices have been tripled as a result of the artificial shortage in the system. We could have provided twice the number if others have been honest with the prices they are selling the items,” Sam George said.

    “If you are a producer or importer of the products do not hike the prices. If you hike the prices at this time you are being unpatriotic, you are being un-Ghanaian.

    “In fact, you are a murderer because when you hike the prices, we cannot buy equipment for health workers and these health workers can get infected. You will kill a health worker simply because of your greed? So, hiking the prices now is tantamount to murder.”

    Prices of products such as food and hand sanitizers have increased exponentially following the coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.

    This has led to numerous complaints from Ghanaians, many of them believe traders are taking advantage of the situation to rip them off.

    Meanwhile, the confirmed number of Coronavirus cases in Ghana has jumped to 53, with two deaths recorded.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • No coronavirus talk, action; no Parliament for me Sam George to Speaker

    Opposition MP Sam Nartey George has written to the Speaker, Prof Mike Oquaye saying he would be absent from the Chamber until the legislature takes concrete actions to protect lawmakers against the coronavirus and also prioritises COVID-19 discussions on the floor.

    Ghana has recorded fifty-three cases so far with two deaths.

    Most of the cases were imported from countries reeling under its devastation.

    The Speaker recently asked some MPs to self-quarantine after returning from trips abroad where the virus had broken.

    In his letter, however, the Ningo-Prampram MP said not only is Parliament not showing leadership in discussing measures to deal with the spread of the virus, but is not taking adequate steps to protect MPs against it.

    “The risks we are subjecting ourselves to must be worth it. I am prepared to come to work every day from morning to night if it is about working with the Executive to deal with the pandemic at hand. I am prepared to go the extra mile if it is work that would protect the citizens and put the Executive in a better stead to protect the Republic.

    “What I am not prepared to do sir, is to take risk that is needless. I am not prepared to risk exposure to the virus by coming to Parliament every day just to come and work on bills that are of no emergency nature and do not relate to the coronavirus or to come and sit and approve loans and tax waivers for private business interests, many of which are foreign.

    “It is my considered belief Rt. Hon Speaker that, the august House of Parliament is failing to exercise its truly intended mandate in crisis times like this. I hold the strongest conviction that we are pandering whilst the flames that may engulf the state are being stoked.

    “In the past two weeks, the House has met and deliberated on several issues. Top among them is the Imposition of Restrictions Bill 2020 and the granting and approvals of a number of commercial loan agreements. None of these deals with the coronavirus pandemic directly,” he said, adding: ““ For once, let us have our priorities right”, he wrote.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Akufo-Addo releases 10 prayer points for National Fasting and Prayers

    Ghana will today turn to God in prayer over the dreaded novel Coronavirus pandemic.

    The day was set aside by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his nationwide broadcast since the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.

    The dreaded virus has already killed two persons out of the 53 active cases recorded so far.

    Globally, it has claimed the lives of about 19,000 in the last few months.

    All religious bodies across the country will today, Wednesday, March 25, be praying for Divine intervention to halt the fast pace at which the coronavirus is spreading in the country.

    “These are not ordinary times and at such times in a country whose population is predominantly Christian, we must seek the face of the one true God for healing and restoration,” President Akufo-Addo told Ghanaians at the televised Prayer meeting held at the Jubilee House, the seat of the Presidency in Accra, Thursday, March 19.

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has released 10 prayers points to guide Christians and Muslims as Ghana observes a national a day of fasting and prayers against the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Nana Akufo-Addo (@nakufoaddo) on

  • Ghanaian ‘big man’ skips quarantine & testing after returning from abroad

    A prominent personality in Ghana whose identity has not been disclosed has been reported to have ‘safely’ escaped quarantine and testing after arriving from a foreign country.

    A Ghanaian professor named Henry Kwasi Prempeh made the news public on his Facebook handle when he affirmed that an exceptionally credible, first-hand source revealed it to him.

    In the post, Henry Kwasi Prempeh strongly states that he hopes above all things that the report that someone skips the essential protocols would be a solitary case, as grossly irresponsible and criminal as it is.

    See the full narration below:

    Henry Kwasi Prempeh is Professor of Law at Seton Hall University School of Law, Newark, New Jersey, where he has taught constitutional, corporate, and international business law courses since 2003.

    President Nana Akufo-Addo directed that all of Ghana’s borders be closed for two weeks as the nation fights the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

    The closure of the borders started from 12:00am on Sunday, March 22, 2020, after which every human who wants to enter will be quarantined and tested for the virus.

    Many individuals have been reacting wildly to the professor’s post:

    Felicity Nelson came out to reveal that actually, the professor’s report is not singular as there has been another:

    ObaaYaa Agyapongmaa wondered why Ghanaians could have the heart to do this in these difficult times.

    Abdul-Rahaman Issahaku was of the opinion that the kind of report the professor gave was so wrong and is a cause of so problems.

    In other news, individuals from other countries in and out of Africa have taken to Twitter to rant on why their countries do not implement rapid activities against COVID-19 like Ghana

    Comments sighted came from Namibians, Kenya, South Africans, Nigerians, and the British among others

    This comes on the back of a massive fumigation exercise that was carried out in major markets in Ghana’s capital city.

    source: yen.com.gh

  • Hotels, eateries contravening coronavirus control measures risk closure — DCE

    Mr Derick Owusu Ambrose, the Assin South District Chief Executive (DCE), has given a 24-hour ultimatum to eight hotels in the area to adhere to the COVID-19 control measures or risk closure.

    The facilities were operating in contravention of public safety precautionary measures by the Ghana Health Service and the Government to contain the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

    They have not placed water and soaps at vantage points for handwashing and hand sanitizers were also not available in the facilities.

    Mr Ambrose has vowed to close down all hotels, eateries, pubs, guest houses and places that did not adhere to the GHS public health compliance on containing the spread of the novel COVID-19.

    The ultimatum was given after a tour of some facilities in the area to assess their compliance with the public safety directive as issued by the GHS and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the wake of the pandemic.

    Of the 10 hotels visited, eight had failed to implement the public safety measures and had no clear intention of upgrading their standards to ensure the safety of customers.

    In addition, the Assembly had intensified public sensitisation in communities with three mobile vans and seasoned health experts to extensively cover all persons.

    The communities include Asantoase, Seidukrom, Mesomagor, Jakai, Dominase, Adeambra, Manso, and Onwaand Awuro Camp.

    Mr Ambrose announced that the Assembly had taken delivery of quantities of hospital beds, hand gloves, sanitizers, face masks and Veronica buckets to manage the disease.

    He advised all persons who exhibited symptoms of the dreaded COVID-19 to, as a matter of urgency, report to the designated holding centres in Assin Manso and Nyankomasi Ahenkro health centres.

    Alternatively, due to travel difficulties and telephone connectivity, people could also reach to the nearest health facility or call the national centre for immediate assistance.

    According to the DCE, who is also a Pharmacist, the virus was transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person through coughing and sneezing and touching surfaces contaminated with it.

    The symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, in more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties and more rarely, the disease can be fatal.

    These symptoms are similar to the flu (influenza) or the common cold, the reason testing is required to confirm if someone has the COVID-19.

    To avoid the risk of infection, the DCE advised the public to wash hands frequently with soap under running water, or alcohol-based hand rub, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing, and throw away the tissue into a closed bin immediately.

    He urged the public to avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms.OVID-19 control measures or risk closure.

    The facilities were operating in contravention of public safety precautionary measures by the Ghana Health Service and the Government to contain the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

    They have not placed water and soaps at vantage points for handwashing and hand sanitizers were also not available in the facilities.

    Mr Ambrose has vowed to close down all hotels, eateries, pubs, guest houses and places that did not adhere to the GHS public health compliance on containing the spread of the novel COVID-19.

    The ultimatum was given after a tour of some facilities in the area to assess their compliance with the public safety directive as issued by the GHS and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the wake of the pandemic.

    Of the 10 hotels visited, eight had failed to implement the public safety measures and had no clear intention of upgrading their standards to ensure the safety of customers.

    In addition, the Assembly had intensified public sensitisation in communities with three mobile vans and seasoned health experts to extensively cover all persons.

    The communities include Asantoase, Seidukrom, Mesomagor, Jakai, Dominase, Adeambra, Manso, and Onwaand Awuro Camp.

    Mr Ambrose announced that the Assembly had taken delivery of quantities of hospital beds, hand gloves, sanitizers, face masks and Veronica buckets to manage the disease.

    He advised all persons who exhibited symptoms of the dreaded COVID-19 to, as a matter of urgency, report to the designated holding centres in Assin Manso and Nyankomasi Ahenkro health centres.

    Alternatively, due to travel difficulties and telephone connectivity, people could also reach to the nearest health facility or call the national centre for immediate assistance.

    According to the DCE, who is also a Pharmacist, the virus was transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person through coughing and sneezing and touching surfaces contaminated with it.

    The symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, in more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties and more rarely, the disease can be fatal.

    These symptoms are similar to the flu (influenza) or the common cold, the reason testing is required to confirm if someone has the COVID-19.

    To avoid the risk of infection, the DCE advised the public to wash hands frequently with soap under running water, or alcohol-based hand rub, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing, and throw away the tissue into a closed bin immediately.

    He urged the public to avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms.

    Source: GNA

  • Eight traders picked up at Ashaiman market during fumigation

    Eight traders were on Monday picked up by security officials for defying the directive not to sell at the Ashaiman market for a disinfection exercise to be carried out.

    The exercise, which was sanctioned by the government to be carried out in all markets in the Greater Accra Region, was one of the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

    Mr Albert Okyere, Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, said the eight were cautioned and educated on the COVID-19 disease after which they were released.

    Meanwhile, the disinfection exercise in the market went on as scheduled as chlorine diluted with water was sprayed through the entire market.

    The Ghana News Agency observed that the market was generally unkempt and unhygienic with rotten fruits and vegetables all over.

    The MCE said prior to the disinfection, his outfit sensitized the market queens and other key persons in the market to serve as peer educators among the traders adding that sensitisation was still ongoing to ensure residents fully understood the severity of the global medical crises.

    He added that education was ongoing at the various electoral areas.

    Mr Okyere added that they tried the implementation of social distancing in the market but they realized that it was virtually impossible due to the congestion so the traders were advised to use handkerchieves and nose masks as well as practise proper handwashing.

    He disclosed that the Assembly had long term plans to decongest the market.

    Mr Ishmael Ashitey, Greater Accra Regional Minister said the government came up with the disinfection exercise to help reduce the risk of spreading the disease at the markets.

    Mr Ashitey called on the Assembly to frequently fumigate the market to rid it of rodents which could equally cause other sicknesses.

    Source: GNA

  • Woyome donates protective gear to South Tongu District Health Directorate

    Kobena Mensah Woyome, Member of Parliament (MP) for South Tongu, has presented some personal protective equipment (PPE) to the South Tongu District Health Directorate to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the District.

    The equipment, valued at GH¢100,000.00, including gloves, face masks, and veronica buckets presented to the Directorate to be distributed to various health facilities in the District.

    The intervention by the MP has come at a time when the country has recorded confirmed cases of the COVID-19, (52 cases as of March 24).

    The MP made the donation to the District Health Directorate after touring the area to determine their level of readiness to combat the disease.

    He also visited St. Comboni Catholic and Sogakope District Hospitals as well as Custom Officers at the Dabala Barrier and the Police and Ghana Immigration Service posts at the Sogakope Barrier.

    Mr Woyome commended the hospitals for doing their best to create isolation centres.

    He explained that the two facilities have put in place a number of measures to monitor the temperature of visitors, in line with Ghana Health Service (GHS) guidelines, in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

    He appealed for support in terms of protective gear for the Police, the Immigration and the Customs officers, who are using their bare hands to check goods and luggage of travellers.

    Mr Woyome further appealed to the Ghana Health Service and other stakeholders to assist the security agencies with logistics and other health-protective items since they are the first point of call for travellers by road from Togo, Benin, Nigeria and other neighbouring countries to Ghana.

    He said the District had not recorded any coronavirus but it was too risky for them to use unprotected hands at this period.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: Beach operators who flout law will be prosecuted – GTA

    Government will prosecute beach operators across the country who flout the directives of social distance, Mr Akwesi Agyemang, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) said.

    Mr Agyemang expressed concern about the way most beach operators still operate and congregate more than 25 people especially at the weekends which poses serious health concern in the wake of the increasing number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.

    The Chief Executive Officer gave the caution in an interview with the press after embarking on an enforcement exercise to some beaches in Accra.

    The exercise witnessed the presence of the GTA team and the Police visiting some beaches in the city to caution them to adhere to the President’s directives especially on social distance.

    The team visited places like the La Pleasure Beach, the Laboma beach resort, Shining beach, Sango beach resort, and Shushu beach resort, all in Nungua.

    Other places were the Nordsee beach resort located in Korle Gono, Serenity beach resort, and the Place beach resort in Sakumono.

    The team placed notices on all entrances of the beaches with the inscription “Beach closed to Curb Spread of COVID-19, by GTA”.

    Mr Agyemang said the exercise was a precautionary measure to alert operators of the beaches that Parliament had passed the law against public gathering and that any individual or entity found flouting the law would be prosecuted without fear or favour.

    Parliament on Friday March 20, under a Certificate of Urgency, passed the Imposition of Restrictions Bill, 2020 to give legal backing to the President to impose restrictions on persons in the event of disaster, emergency or similar circumstances, for public safety and protection.

    He said the team would visit these beaches at the weekend to monitor the progress of the orders and make arrest of people who failed to adhere to the directives on social gathering.

    Mr Joseph Nii Matey Korley, the Operations Manager, Laboma Beach Resort said their outfit had complied with government’s directives and ensured that nobody visited the beach for any activity.

    “We have turned down people who come here for jogging and other activities because of the directives. We are complementing government’s directives with our internal security”, he said.

    Mr Eric Mensah, the Beach Manager at Shinning Beach located in Nungua called on government to intensify the education on the directives for easy compliance.

    The Ghana News Agency observed that, there were more than 30 people at the Shinning Beach, flouting the directives on social distance.

    The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in a statement on Monday March 23, ordered all beaches in the country to close down with immediate effect.

    This was to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

    Ghana has so far recorded 53 confirmed cases of the global pandemic with two death.

    The statement further advised the public and tourist facility operators to be mindful of the precautionary measure since it was in their own interest.

    Government, on Sunday, March 15, announced a number of preventive measures to contain the COVID-19.

    Among the directives was the suspension of all public gatherings, including conferences, workshops, funerals, political rallies, sporting events and religious activities, such as services in churches and mosques for the next four weeks.

    Also, private burials are permitted, but with limited numbers, not exceeding 25 in attendance.

    Businesses and other work places can continue to operate but should observe prescribed social distancing between patrons and staff.

    Establishments such as supermarkets, shopping malls, restaurants, night clubs, hotels and drinking spots should observe enhanced hygiene procedures that provides hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands.

    Source: GNA

  • CODA receives support to combat coronavirus

    The Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Limited has donated 50 knapsack spraying equipment to the Coastal Development Authority (CODA), to aid the Authority to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

    CODA will use the equipment to complement the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development’s disinfection of public places including schools, lorry parks, beaches, public places of convenience and markets within the coastal development zone.

    Mr Kingsley Karikari Bondzie, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of CODA, received the items on behalf of the Authority, and expressed appreciation to Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Limited.

    He said CODA will use the equipment to augment the efforts of the Ministry and Assemblies in the coastal development zone to stop the spread of COVID-19.

    “We will use the equipment to spray schools, lorry parks, beaches, public places of convenience and markets on a regional basis,” he said.

    Mr Karikari Bondzie called on the private sector to emulate the example of Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Limited by partnering and supporting the government to ensure that “as a country, we leave no stone unturned in the battle against this pandemic”.

    He called on the public to strictly adhere to the safety protocols and precautionary measures laid down by the government to deal with the pandemic.

    Source: GNA

  • Parents must intensify education on coronavirus for children – Aba Oppong,

    Aba Oppong, a Child Rights Activist, has called on parents to intensify efforts in educating children on the prevention protocols of the COVID-19.

    She said as schools in Ghana had been closed as part of measures to minimise the spread of the virus, it was important that parents and guardians also put in the right measures to prevent the spread in their homes.

    They should supervise them on how to remain healthy by washing hands properly with soap under running water, the use of sanitizers, maintaining social distancing, keeping the throat moist, and wearing of nose masks among others.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, Madam Oppong said everybody, including children, were vulnerable to the pandemic and must keep to the directives by the Government to control the spread.

    Ghana, on March 12, 2020, confirmed its first COVID-19 case and had since recorded 52 cases, with two deaths.

    The disease symptoms appear after two – 14 days after exposure to the virus and it includes fever, tiredness, shortness of breath and dry cough.

    Madam Oppong, who is also the Executive Director of Rights and Responsibilities Initiatives Ghana (RRIG), an organisation spearheading the welfare of children, said parents, being emergency frontline workers, must instruct children on the right things to do to protect themselves while they were away for work.

    She suggested that parents got adults to supervise children if they had to leave the house for work.COVID-19.

    She said as schools in Ghana had been closed as part of measures to minimise the spread of the virus, it was important that parents and guardians also put in the right measures to prevent the spread in their homes.

    They should supervise them on how to remain healthy by washing hands properly with soap under running water, the use of sanitizers, maintaining social distancing, keeping the throat moist, and wearing of nose masks among others.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, Madam Oppong said everybody, including children, were vulnerable to the pandemic and must keep to the directives by the Government to control the spread.

    Ghana, on March 12, 2020, confirmed its first COVID-19 case and had since recorded 52 cases, with two deaths.

    The disease symptoms appear after two – 14 days after exposure to the virus and it includes fever, tiredness, shortness of breath and dry cough.

    Madam Oppong, who is also the Executive Director of Rights and Responsibilities Initiatives Ghana (RRIG), an organisation spearheading the welfare of children, said parents, being emergency frontline workers, must instruct children on the right things to do to protect themselves while they were away for work.

    She suggested that parents got adults to supervise children if they had to leave the house for work.

    Source: GNA

  • Socialist Forum calls for random mass testing for coronavirus

    The Socialist Forum of Ghana (SFG) has called on the government to establish a regime of random mass testing and use school buildings, hospitals and health facilities that have not yet been commissioned to serve as quarantine centres.

    A statement from the SFG, signed by Mr Blaise Tulo, the Convener of the Group and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the current situation also required the total mobilization of all sections of the Ghanaian society to carry out relief operations and intensify public education.

    The Group also recommended an immediate and unconditional lockdown as the only effective means of combatting the virus, given the fact that other options like getting more qualified health personnel and improving the stock of hospital beds were not currently available and “any further delay would be detrimental to the health of Ghana.”

    “The spread of the COVID-19 should open our eyes to the reality that health care cannot be treated as a commodity, which can be made available to only those who can afford. Healthcare ought to be seen properly as a social service, which ought to be accessible to all citizens. The socialization of health care is a task, which cannot be ignored any longer,” the statement said.

    It said due to the pandemic, the leadership of SFG on Monday, March 23, 2020, suspended all its activities including cultural events, public fora and film shows.

    The statement urged all members to strictly follow the prescriptions of the scientific community on how to deal with the pandemic.

    Source: GNA

  • Accra, Tema and Kumasi are epicenters for coronavirus – MoH

    The Ministry of Health (MoH) has identified, Accra and Tema in the Greater Accra Region and Kumasi in the Ashanti Region as the epicenters of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana.

    At a press briefing in Accra Tuesday, the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu said:

    “What we have identified so far in Ghana now, we may have, we can describe two areas in Ghana as our own epicentres, Accra and Tema together and Kumasi.”

    “We have adequate room in Accra… to actually take care of all those who have tested positive at the moment. But going forward, a team is going round identifying places that we can use for isolation for case management, not only in Accra,” he added.

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • PHOTOS: Social distancing observed at Prez Akufo-Addo’s meeting with market leaders

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed gratitude to the leadership of some 137 Accra-based market associations for co-operating with the disinfection exercise that was carried out yesterday.

    Prez Akufo-Addo urged them to continue to maintain strict self-discipline, and continue to practice social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols in all aspects of our daily lives.

    See photographs from the meeting below;

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

     

  • Coronavirus: Parliament asks staff to take mandatory annual leave

    The Parliament of Ghana has asked all of its staff to take their mandatory annual leave with immediate effect as part of measures to help prevent the communal spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana.

    The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Ocquaye in a notice on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, for urgent implementation asked all staff except where they have been identified as providing essential services critical to the legislative business currently taking place in the House, or a matter referred by the House for an urgent consideration are to proceed on their annual leave with immediate effect.

     

    The notice goes to say that, “similarly all officers on contract or temporary appointment, national service persons, MP research assistants and other ancillary service providers working in the premises are required to take their leave and or keep away from the Parliamentary precincts except where they have been identified by the Human Resources Department as providing critical services to ensure the smooth operation of business.”

    It adds that: “individuals intending to visit any person in Parliament should visit the person at home or communicate electronically. No visitors are allowed in Parliament unless otherwise stated.”

    It said the above measures were meant to decongest Parliament for the safe conduct of essential business and that MP research assistants whilst at home are to continue to provide services to the MPs through the internet and that Marshall assisted by the Security Unit should regularly monitor attendance and inspect the various offices to ensure full compliance as far as this directive is concerned.

    “The acting Clerk to Parliament is to coordinate the implementation of the directive and that members of staff are assured that their salaries and other allowances due them will be paid through their individual bank accounts and that heads of various departments as well as members of staff, national service persons, research assistants and all others are admonished to strictly comply with this directive or will be severely sanctioned,” the Speaker of Parliament said.

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • Ursula Owusu makes coronavirus confession to hubby

    Minister of Communications and Member of Parliament For Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has confessed to her husband, Sam Ekuful, on how she was feeling as she waited for his Coronavirus test results.

    Mr Ekuful tested negative recently for coronavirus.

    He had been quarantined after his return from the United Kingdom.

    His specimen was sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, for test.

    The results returned negative.

    His wife had announced to the media how he had been quarantined and that the family was placing his food at the door for him to pick.

    But she took to Facebook on Tuesday, March 24, a day after the results came to confess how she felt.

    According to her, “Confession: I was on tenterhooks awaiting your covid 19 results for which you tested negative.”

    She added that “my fear; how do I hug him on his birthday?

    “I owe you all the hugs in life today Sam. Happy birthday my dear husband,” she stated.

    See her post on Facebook below

     

    Source: dailyguidenetwork.com

  • Ghanaian Times: Let not fear and panic determine the fight against coronavirus

    Many people are living in fear. Others are panicky because of the scare-provoking coronavirus that is spreading like wild fire across the world.

    To put it bluntly, we are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, with cities and even entire countries shut down. Some countries have already been affected widely by coronavirus and recording unprecedented fatalities while others are preparing to combat what may come.

    In Ghana, the panic button was triggered at the weekend when the Ghana Health Service announced that the confirmed cases of the coronavirus have jumped from 16 to 19 or is it 21?

    Before then, there were speculations that the country was going into lockdown because of the rise in the number of confirmed cases and that triggered some panic buying in Accra.

    Some markets and shops suddenly saw many people buying stuff because of the expected announcement of a lockdown. Fortunately that speculation was dispelled before the President addressed the nation to announce further measures against the dreaded disease.

    But the fear and panic among the citizenry is clear for everyone to see, particularly as we all watch the headlines and wonder, “What is going to happen next?”

    As a matter of fact, the coronavirus, or COVID-19, is inciting panic mainly for a number of reasons. It is a new virus, meaning no one has immunity, and there is no vaccine. Its novelty means that scientists are not sure yet how it behaves. They have little history about it and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has already labelled the virus as a pandemic.

    The global reach of the virus has led countries into taking measures that are unprecedented in recent history: schools are closing, borders; land, sea, air are being closed, sports teams are not playing games, entertainment and large gatherings have been postponed and banned in some instances.

    Although these preventive actions are for good reason, they can also partly explain why people are getting worried and unnerved.

    The daily reports of recorded deaths and the fact that the health workers and hospitals in the most affected countries are overwhelmed stoke fears, and make people more worried than we need be about contracting the virus.

    But health experts are assuring everyone that there is no need to panic or fear. And argue that there are important, very basic things that people could do to stay safe and even if they contract the virus, can recover.

    Those include self-isolating and monitoring your temperature if you get sick; washing your hands regularly with soap under running water; and staying away from large gatherings like churches or market places.

    These are some of the things that the health experts recommend that we do to reassert a sense of control over our fears, without overreacting and risking contributing to public panic and anxiety.

    Above all, health experts say it is crucial not to let panic take over our decision-making and rational thought processes. Otherwise, the price to pay could be much greater than the threat the virus poses.

     

    Source: Ghanaian Times

  • Avoid bribes, let’s fight coronavirus together Volta Regional Minister to GIS

    The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa has warned personnel from the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in the region to desist from taking bribes to allow people enter the country as Ghana’s borders have been closed due to the fear of coronavirus.

    President Akufo-Addo ordered the closure of the country’s borders as part of moves to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

    Speaking at a brief parade held at the Regional Immigration Headquarters in Ho on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, Mr Letsa said: “The borders have been closed so no Immigration officer has the right to collect money from anybody to let them in. You must also know that you are also at risk, so the money you collect, the money doesn’t protect you from getting coronavirus, so at this time, let’s all sacrifice and fight for our collective interest.”

    For his part, the Volta Regional Commander of the GIS, Deputy Commissioner, Esq Peter Nantuo warned the service personnel to adhere to directives of not allowing anyone into the country or face dismissal.

    He added that the borders have been closed so no Immigration personnel has the authority to open it for anyone to enter or engage in any unlawful act at the various entry points.

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Akufo-Addo commends market women for their cooperation towards fumigation exercise

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has thanked market women in the various markets in the Greater Accra Region for a successful fumigation exercise on Monday, 23 March 2020.

    One thousand three hundred sprayers were deployed to disinfect 137 markets in the region.

    This forms part of measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the country.

    Ghana has so far recorded 52 cases with 2 deaths.

    Speaking at a meeting with market women at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, President Akufo-Addo said: “I welcome you to the Jubilee House and to say thank you for responding to my invitation to talk about mutual matters. What happened yesterday, the Minister is saying that all of you cooperated fully. That is the first thing I have to thank you for.”

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Government allocates 545 beds to health facilities

    The Ghana Health Service has indicated that some 545 beds have been allocated to various health facilities in the country towards the fight against coronavirus.

    Dr Patrick Aboagye, an official of the Ghana Health Service, made this known at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

    According to him, GHS has advised frontline staff on how to deal with O.P.D.

    He said some 10,000 PPEs have been procured.

    Also, he said Goggles, nose mask and gloves have distributed to frontline staff.

    According to him, medical staff in study leave have been recalled.

    He said doctors awaiting financial clearance and retirees have also been called to support the fight.

     

    Source: dailyguidenetwork.com

  • Coronavirus: Dont ignore friends, loved ones because of social distancing Rev Opuni-Frimpong

    As the world is learning to adjust to social distancing to prevent people from contracting coronavirus which has been declared a global pandemic, Chief Executive Officer of Alliance for Christian Advocacy Africa, Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong has urged all not to allow the current situation create a barrier between themselves, their families and friends.

    Acknowledging the fact that the social distancing order from government was to help curb the virus which is fast spreading, he was of the view that the habit should also not lead to social isolation.

    In a press release copied to GhanaWeb, he posited that “social distancing comes with the weakness of fear, frustration, loneliness, selfishness, denial of bereavement, mental and emotional instability etc. But we can as well demonstrate strength”.

    He stressed that “this is the moment for us to practice our common humanity like kindness, compassion, patience, love, sense of belonging, demonstration of faith, support systems etc. Let us find our better selves and demonstrate our better selves in the midst of the new normal. We must open our hands to the pains of others as we accept the instructions to practice social distancing”.

    Read below the full statement

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Full details of Ghana’s second recorded death pops up

    Ghana yesterday confirmed its second death following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

    The death involving an elderly Ghanaian woman occurred at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.

    The deceased died in the early hours of Monday, March 23.

    Media reports indicate that the deceased reported at the hospital with symptoms similar to that of COVID-19, but she passed away before the test results were received from the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research (KCCR).

    Although details on the deceased have remained sketchy, this portal has been able to gather some further details.

    She was an 84-years old Ghanaian woman who returned from the United States of America on March 3, 2020.

    She reported at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital with low-grade fever and
    Respiratory distress.

    She was kept at orange and managed for PE.

    Prior to her admission at KATH, she had visited three health facilities in the Ashanti region.

  • Market fumigation: Were satisfied with exercise Alima Mahama

    The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has expressed satisfaction with the fumigation exercise that took place in some 137 markets in the Greater Accra Region on Monday, as part of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

    “We are grateful to the traders”, sector minister Hajia Alima Mahama said at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, adding: “We are satisfied with the exercise”.

    She noted that the military will today, Tuesday, help to clean the markets, as some of them were dirty.

    The minister advised the traders to keep the markets clean.

    She said the World Health Organisation-recommended chlorine solution was used for the exercise and, thus, safe for the traders to resume their trading activities.

    The fumigation will be replicated across the rest of the country beginning from the Ashanti Region on Thursday.

    Ghana has so far recorded 27 cases of COVID-19 with two deaths.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Accra, Tema and Kumasi identified as epicentres of Coronavirus in Ghana

    The Ministry of Health (MoH) has identified, Accra and Tema in the Greater Accra Region and Kumasi in the Ashanti Region as the epicentres of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana.

    At a press briefing in Accra Tuesday, the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu said: “What we have identified so far in Ghana now, we may have, we can describe two areas in Ghana now as our own epicentres, Accra and Tema together and Kumasi.”

    “We are doing what we describe as contact tracing, in Accra we have deployed 98 field officers …that have been trained doing the tracing and we are getting to people.”

    The Minister said in Kumasi for instance, about 50 trained people have been employed who are still doing contact tracing.

    He, therefore, advised that based on the evidence, “wherever we are, all those our brothers and sisters who have come in, we should advise them to put themselves in self-quarantine if we haven’t tracked them yet.

    “And they should also talk to health authorities in the area where they live, to send teams to serve them, they can be calling on telephone describing their conditions to health officers they get in touch with such that, we can protect the rest of the population against community spread, the horizontal spread we are seeing in our country at the moment,” the Minister said.

    New cases

    As of Monday night [March 23, 2020], a total of 27 positive cases had been recorded in Ghana with two deaths. There were only 25 existing cases.

    But at the press briefing Tuesday morning [March 24, 2020], the Minister of Health explained that an additional 25 cases from those who arrived in Ghana in the last few days and were in mandatory quarantine have tested positive to bring the total positive cases in Ghana to 52, with two deaths.

    There are 50 existing cases which are being managed in isolation.

    In all, a total of 1030 travellers who arrived in Ghana after air, land and sea borders were closed are currently on mandatory quarantine for 14 days.

    Out of the 1030 number,  611 samples have been taken and 185 has been processed and 25 tested positive

    The rest is yet to be tested.

    The Minister of Health said those on quarantine, psychologists have been deployed to have charts with them.

    He said the Ministry was also in the process of handing them over to the case management team in isolated areas for treatment.

    “Definitely, not all of them will be critically ill and they are not, some might not be ill at all, but decisions on them will depend on individual case management issue. If you are not even ill, you still have to be quarantined for the mandatory 14 days.”

    He said early on, there were indications that if a person tested negative, “we release you after four days but, [based on] technical advice, and we have met all the doctors and we cannot [continue] do that and we have to keep you for the entire two weeks, which is the 14 days.”

    He said: “We have adequate rooms in Accra… to actually take care of all those who have tested positive at the moment. But going forward, a team is going round identifying places that we can use for isolation for case management, not only in Accra.”

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Coronavirus: American among persons busted trying to illegally cross Ghana border

    An American national is among over 20 persons that have been arrested for trying to illegally cross into Ghana from Togo.

    This follows the closure of Ghana’s air, land and sea borders on Sunday (March 22, 2020) as part of measures to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

     

    Announcing the arrests today at a press briefing in Accra, the Deputy Controller General of Operations, GIS, Mr Laud Ofori-Afrifa revealed that the Aflao border stretch has seen various attempts to enter Ghana illegally using the Aflao border.

    He said the American is suspected to have crossed over by colluding with some officials on March 22.

     

    “It was noted that he (the American) had landed at the Lome airport (Togo) on the 20th of March from the USA… He was referred to the health officials and tested… which proved negative but he is under arrest and detention and is being sent into mandatory quarantine”.

    Other arrests

    Mr Ofori-Afrifa also disclosed that some seven Nigerians and 12 commercial motorcycle riders (Okada) were also arrested yesterday (March 23).

     

    He said on March 23, seven Nigerians (3 males and four females) were arrested at the border for entering Ghana ilegally and they were sent back across the border to Togo.

     

    More to follow…

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • I was on tenterhooks awaiting my husband’s COVID-19 results – Ursula Owusu

    The Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful says she endured a nervous wait on her husband’s Coronavirus test results.

    Mrs Ekuful in a Facebook post wishing her husband a happy birthday said she was scared she would not have been able to hug him if the test turned out positive.

    She posted: “Confession: I was on tenterhooks awaiting your covid 19 results for which you tested negative. MY FEAR; how do I hug him on his birthday? I owe you all the hugs in life today Sam. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAR HUSBAND”.

    Mrs Ekuful had revealed that her husband, Sam Ekuful, returned from a trip to the United Kingdom and was quarantined as part of measures to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana.

    She said they served him food by leaving it at the door to his isolation room.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh