Six personnel of the Ghana Police Service two Community Protection assistance have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Central Regional Police Commander, COP Paul Awuni who confirmed the cases revealed that the officers were affected in the line duty after a high-risk COVID-19 operation.

“In our quest to execute our constitutional mandate in helping to contain the COVID-19 disease as frontline staff, we are doing our best despite the fact that we are exposed to risk of contracting the disease. All of them were infected in the line of duty because we can trace it. Immediately after a high-risk COVID operation a group of people was tested and some of them came out positive.” He told Joy News in an interview during a disinfection exercise at the Central Regional Police Command conducted by Zoomlion Ltd.

Ghana’s COVID-19 case count has shot up to 6,964 from 6,808 after 156 new cases were recorded on Monday.

Addressing a press briefing on Ghana’s fight against the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Aboagye disclosed that the new cases were identified in 5 out of the 16 regions in the country.

He revealed that 27 more people have recovered bringing the total of recoveries to 2,097. 15 people are still in a severe condition however they are not on ventilators as the death toll remains 32.

According to Dr. Aboagye, the Western Region has been identified as the new hotspot for the virus.

Greater Accra Region still leads with a total number of 72 new cases, Western Region is second with 57 new cases, Central Region with 13 new cases, Volta Region saw an increase of 10 new cases and Ashanti Region with 4 new cases.

Below is the regional breakdown of the cases

Greater Accra Region – 4,908

Ashanti Region – 1,066

Western Region – 334

Central Region – 319

Eastern Region – 106

Western North Region – 62

Volta Region – 57

Northern Region – 36

Oti Region – 26

Upper East Region – 26

Upper West Region – 21

North East Region – 2

Savannah Region – 1

Bono Region – 1