KNUST bans large gatherings on campus to fight spread of Coronavirus

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Large events including hall weeks, funerals and sports matches have been banned as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) takes steps to fight spread of Coronavirus on campus.

Other suspended activities include awards nights, dinners and other outdoor events as well as all planned academic and non-academic excursions in and outside the University campus.

Management has also suspended all international conferences to be hosted by the University, international travels of staff incoming and outgoing exchange programmes plus international visits of foreign partners, Professors and collaborators including tours on campus by visitors.

Staff together with their spouses and students returning from abroad have been directed to report first at the University Hospital for screening before resuming official work.

These were contained in a statement issued by the management of the University as part of measures to strengthen preventive guidelines.

“Management wishes to direct that, all gatherings including Funerals, Sporting Activities, Awards Nights, Dinners, Hall Weeks and other outdoor events on the University campus are suspended until further notice. All planned academic and non-academic excursions in and outside the University campus are suspended until further notice,” the statement added.

Other precautionary measures

All Members of the University community have been encouraged to practice good personal hygiene -regular washing of hands with soap under running water, regular use of hand sanitizers and also avoid all body contacts including handshakes and hugs.

“A special team has been established to regularly monitor the implementation of precautionary measures and update management. The University Health Directorate will lead the Special team in the COVID-19 sensitisation and awareness campaign. The University Hospital has established a COVID-19 Isolation Centre to hold suspected persons for screening. Confirmed cases will be transferred to the Regional Isolation Centre set-up by the Regional Health Directorate for care,” portions of the statement added.

Assurance

The school also advised its members to “remain calm and follow all the safety measures as well as other measures published by the University Hospital, the Ghana Health Services and the Ministry of Health to help contain the spread of the infection.”

KUNST joins other public tertiary institutions that have put in place similar protocols against the spread of the virus.

The University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Thursday banned all international conferences on campus.

The situation is not different at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) as all non-academic gatherings such as award nights, dinners and other outdoor events have been suspended together with all planned academic and non-academic excursions outside the university.

Ghana records first Covid-19 cases

On Thursday night, the Ghana Health Service in an emergency press conference announced that a Norwegian diplomat in Ghana and a Ghanaian from Turkey are the carriers of the coronavirus recorded in Ghana.

Sources say the Ghanaian came in from Turkey, having gone there for an assignment with an international agency while the Norwegian, appears to have returned to Ghana after helping organise President Akufo-Addo’s recent visit to the European country.

An amount of $100 million has also been committed to contain the outbreak.

Many public institutions have also initiated steps to prevent the virus from spreading.

Death toll passes 5000

More than 5,000 people have died around the world after testing positive for coronavirus, AFP reports.

Iran announced another 85 deaths today, pushing its total number of fatalities to 514 amid 11,364 confirmed cases.

The real number of cases might be even higher, as questions have been raised about authorities’ transparency.

In Italy, the number of people who had died from the virus reached 1,000 on Thursday with some 15,000 cases confirmed.

China has recorded more than 3,000 deaths and over 80,000 people as testing positive for the virus.

More than 64,000 people in the country have now recovered, according to the latest information recorded by Johns Hopkins University.

By Jonathan Ofori, Daily Mail GH | Email: joevica18@gmail.com