We’re waiting for results of 15k tests to determine fate of lockdown – Akufo-Addo

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

President Nana Akufo-Addo has said government will review its decision on the two-week lockdown imposed on parts of Ghana when it receives results of some 15,000 suspected COVID-19 contact persons.

He said over 19,000 tests have been carried out through contact tracing and out of that figure 15, 000 results are expected this week.

Addressing the nation on Sunday, he said the decision of the government on the matter will be driven by science and available data.

Akufo-Addo noted that 15,385 out of 19,276 contact persons had been reached through the enhanced contact tracing and their samples have been taken.

“We are, thus about to enter a critical phase of our fight in the coming week, as the Ghana Health Service is due to receive the results of some 15,385 out of 19,276 persons who have been reached through contact tracing. It is the results of these tests that will determine our future course of action. Government’s policy and measures will be driven by the science in this matter,” he noted.

He said the government has since partnered with the Ghana Academy Arts and Science as well as the Center for Scientific and Industrial Research to boost its fight against COVID-19.

Reprieve for Ghanaians

Mr. Akufo-Addo also announced that for the next three months Ghanaians will not be paying water bills as part of measures by his government to alleviate their plight brought about by the COVID-19 lockdown.

He said the water bills for April, May and June have been absorbed by the government.

He added that water tankers – publicly and privately – will also be instructed to provide water to all vulnerable Ghanaians in the lockdown areas.

Cases in Ghana

Ghana has confirmed nine new cases of COVID-19, health officials have said.

This brings the total number of cases in Ghana to 214 as of April 5, 2020.

An update by the Ghana Health Service stated that six of the cases were recorded in the country’s epicentre of the pandemic, Greater Accra while three are from the Ashanti region.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in a statement said, among the cases from Greater Accra, one is a 37-year-old woman with no history of travel nor contact with a confirmed case.

“One is a repeat test of a travellers under quarantine who was initially negative but converted to positive on a repeat test. Four are contacts of confirmed cases with no symptoms and were detected during the enhanced contact tracing and testing,” the statement added.

The GHS noted, “of the three cases from Ashanti region, two are Ghanaians who travelled to Ghana from France within the past 14 days and the third one is a Ghanaian who has no history of travel out of the country nor contact with any confirmed case.”

As of 4th April, 2020, Ghana has recorded a total of 214 cases of COVID-19 with five deaths.

“Currently, the number of regions reporting cases are as follows: Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Upper West Eastern and Upper East Region.

The Greater Accra Region has most cases (189) followed by the Ashanti Region (12), Northern Region (10), Upper West Region (1), Eastern Region (1) and Upper East Region (1),” the GHS explained.

Most of the cases are reported from routine/enhanced surveillance activities.

Cases from travellers under mandatory quarantine are 90.

The Ghana Health Service indicated further that “all five deaths had underlying chronic medical conditions prior to COVID-19 infection.”

Source: Daily Mail GH