The Canadian High Commission in Ghana has shut down “until further notice” following the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus.
“In doing our part to #flattenthecurve & prevent the spread of #COVID19, our offices are closed to the general public until further notice,” the High Commission posted on Twitter on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
In doing our part to #flattenthecurve & prevent the spread of #COVID19, our offices are closed to the general public until further notice.
– For regular correspondence ✉️ us at: accra@international.gc.ca
– For 🇨🇦ians requiring emergency assistance, 📞 us at: +233 (0) 302211521 pic.twitter.com/ihzIFnXv0A— Canada In Ghana (@CanHCGhana) March 17, 2020
Citi News also understands that top officials of the High Commission are also set to leave the country.
This brings to three the number of foreign missions that have shut down due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ghana.
Netherlands and Norwegian Embassies have all halted operations.
The Norwegian Embassy shut down last week because one of its top officials imported the virus into the Ghana recently.
“The Embassy of Norway can confirm that one of our colleagues has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The person is in quarantine and the Embassy is in close dialogue with Ghana Health Service,” the Embassy made the announcement via its Facebook page.
The Netherlands Embassy also followed suit saying it took the decision because it shares the same building with the Norwegian Embassy.
“Following the confirmation by the Norwegian Embassy that one of its staff has tested positive for Covid-19, and given that Norwegian and Netherlands Embassies share the same building, the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana is closed down until further notice.”
Coronavirus cases in Ghana now 7
The Ghana Health Service on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, confirmed one new case of Coronavirus in the country.
The case was reported in the Greater Accra Region bringing to 7, the total number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Ghana.
A tweet from the Ghana Health Service said, “This afternoon (17 March 2020); we have received report from NMIMR that indicated one (1) more confirmed case as positive for COVID-19 in Greater Accra Region.”
The patient is a 35-year-old male, and a Ghanaian citizen who returned to Accra from France.
Countries with over 200 banned
In an attempt to stop the importation of the virus into Ghana, Government directed airline operators not to bring into Ghana travellers from countries that have recorded 200 cases or more of COVID-19.
“All travels to Ghana is at this stage strongly discouraged until further notice. Any traveller except for Ghanaian citizens who has been to a country that has recorded at least 200 cases of COVID-19 will not be allowed into the Ghanaian jurisdiction. Airlines are instructed to not allow such persons into the jurisdiction,” said Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information, when he addressed the press recently.
Two Italians prevented from entering Ghana
Immigration officials at the Kotoka International Airport on Monday, March 16, 2020 barred two Italian nationals from entering Ghana.
The two arrived via an Air France operated aircraft which landed in Accra.
The Information Minister, Kojo Oppong who made this known said the decision was in line with the government’s travel advisory following the COVID-19 outbreak.
“…There were two Italians who were coming from the epicentre and as we got the confirmation of the details, even though the aircraft was in the air, we had to make arrangements at the airport to ensure they do not get off the aircraft and they have been returned to their original destination.”
“So although we are yet to hit the 1 pm deadline today, some soft enforcement has already commenced at our ports entry.”