10 hotspots identified in Ashanti region as Covid-19 cases surge

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Health officials in the Ashanti Region say they are stepping up efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the region.

According to the Region’s Health Directorate, close to 10 communities, have been identified as hotspots for potential spread of the Covid-19.

The region currently has the second-highest case of Covid-19 infections with 25 cases, after the Greater Accra Region which has recorded 274 cases.

Fears are already growing among residents in the region following the development, though a number of interventions have been initiated to contain the disease.

But the Regional Director of Health, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, said the upsurge is due to active surveillance adopted by the directorate.

“So far we are having close to about 10 hotspots. The reason is that, for every positive case we get that area becomes a hotspot so we started with five and right now we are moving close to 10 and the more we get cases the more hotspots we will be getting”, said Dr Tenkorang during an interview with Kumasi-based Luv FM.

Dr Tenkorang, who allayed fears among residents said: “We shouldn’t be worried at all; the reason is that if we adhere by the protocols and then the guidelines then there is no need to fear at all. Because though it may be a hotspot but you’re not going out to get yourself infected”.

Covid-19: Ashanti Region bans mass movement

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) has announced the suspension of what it calls “mass movement of foreigners” into the region to prevent an escalation of the coronavirus spread.

In a press release, the regional coordinating council said “the incidence of transporting foreigners into the region in their numbers is a matter of great concern and must cease immediately.”

The council manages the activities of the District Assemblies, government departments and agencies and non-governmental organisations in the Ashanti Region.

The release, dated April 8, 2020, and signed by the regional minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, said the ban is in line with the lockdown directives announced by the President two weeks ago.

“…Anybody who is caught transporting foreigners into the region in such large groups, as well as any landlord who harbours such people, shall be dealt with in accordance with the Laws of the Country,” the Minister warned in the release.

The regional coordinating council has also suspended special market days and mass gatherings for games and keep fit indefinitely.

The Ashanti Region, the third largest of Ghana’s 16 administrative regions, is home to many tourist attractions to foreigners.

Ghana’s Covid-19 case count hit 313 with six deaths on Wednesday April 8, 2020, according to figures by the Ghana Health Service.

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By Jonathan Ofori, Daily Mail GH