General News of Thursday, 19 March 2020

Source: GNA

Ghana’s confirmed COVID-19 cases remain at seven - Badu Sarkodie

Dr Badu Sarkodie, the Director of Public Health, Ghana Health Service Dr Badu Sarkodie, the Director of Public Health, Ghana Health Service

Dr Badu Sarkodie, the Director of Public Health, Ghana Health Service (GHS), has stated that Ghana’s total confirmed cases of persons infected with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) remain at seven.

He said all the seven patients were being managed at the designated isolation centres, and were in stable condition.

Dr Sarkodie, who was giving updates at the mid-week press briefing on the country’s status of the COVID-19 outbreak in Accra on Wednesday, said contact tracing were earnestly ongoing and had presently traced 381.

Thankfully, so far, none of those contacts had been confirmed as having the infection, he said.

He, however, explained that contacts for the seventh person were still ongoing by the GHS tracing team, and was hopeful that their results would be ready to be shared by the end of Wednesday.

Dr Sarkodie commended the media for their cooperation and support in enhancing public education and providing the necessary information to help prevent the spread of the disease.

Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, said the Testing Protocol for the COVID-19 was currently being followed, where only persons who showed symptoms were being tested.

He said their contact groups were being closely monitored and that those who had mild symptoms were to be self-isolated at home and treated.

He encouraged the public to remain calm, and continue to adhere to all the safety and preventive measures such as avoiding handshakes, ensuring social distancing of between one or two meters from an infected person, observing cough, sneezing and spitting etiquettes, frequent handwashing under running water or use of alcohol-based hand rubs.