Latest suspected Covid-19 case in Ghana tests negative – Noguchi

There is no cause for alarm as the latest suspected Coronavirus [COVID-19] case at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) on Thursday has turned out to be negative.

The Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Badu Sarkodie has confirmed.

Another suspected case of the deadly COVID-19 in Ghana was being investigated by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

The case, according to media reports, involved a Ghanaian woman based abroad who returned to the West African nation for a medical procedure.

In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Badu Sarkodie who confirmed the development said the suspected patient reported to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Friday.

This is the second time the nation’s biggest referral center is recording a suspected case of the deadly disease. The first one which involved two Chinese nationals tested negative after examination and testing by the Noguchi Medical Research Institute.

“Yesterday, information reached us in the evening that there is a suspected case in Korle Bu and tests have been taken to know exactly what it is. Indeed, it is suspected to be COVID-19 and samples have been taken and sent to Noguchi Memorial Institute. I have been informed that they are actively working on it so we are waiting for the report. This person is a Ghanaian citizen who was living outside the country and has come to the country for a medical procedure”, Dr Sarkodie explained.

33 suspected cases test negative — GHS

Health officials in the West African country are on high alert as the virus continues to spread across the globe.

Already 33 persons tested at Ghana’s point of entry have proven negative.

“So far we’ve tested about 33 cases. All have proved negative. One case is being tested… All the tests were done here [in Ghana]. The tests are 100 percent sure. We have the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR)… For now, the two are enough,” an official of the Ghana Health Service had said in an interview.

Coronavirus in Africa

The first case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was recorded on 14th February 2020 in Egypt.

Senegal and Nigeria have both confirmed one case each with Cameroon becoming the latest.

So far more than 90,000 cases have been confirmed while about 3,110 others have died from the novel Coronavirus.

Practise personal hygiene

Meanwhile, the government has urged the public to maintain good personal hygiene to ensure that an outbreak of the disease is prevented.

The common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death.

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.

People are also urged to avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

Source: Daily Mail GH with additional files from CNR