Citi News sources have confirmed that one of the two persons who contracted the coronavirus is a senior official of the Norwegian Embassy in Ghana.
The other person is a Ghanaian who returned from Turkey into the country.
At an emergency press conference on Thursday night by the Ministry of Information, the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, did not disclose the nationalities of the two patients, except to say the cases were imported into the country.
He also did not say when or how the two foreign nationals entered the country and whether they went through the necessary checks and screening or not.
According to the Health Minister, “the two patients are stable and have been kept in isolation.”
The Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, also revealed that the Ministry of Health and other relevant state agencies have begun tracing individuals the two patients have gotten in contact with.
“Both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey. So these are imported cases of COVID-19.”
“The patients are currently being kept in isolation and are stable. We have initiated processes for contact tracing.” the statement added.
But speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah confirmed their nationalities, but did not give further details about their identity, except to say that the contact tracing was ongoing to prevent further spread.
$100m allocated for coronavirus fight – Nana Addo
In an address to the nation on Wednesday, 11th March 2020, the President Akufo-Addo said he has directed the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to make available the cedi equivalent of US$100 million to enhance Ghana’s Coronavirus preparedness and response plan.
This amount, according to President Akufo-Addo, “is to fund the expansion of infrastructure, purchase of materials and equipment, and public education”.
He further explained that with the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the Coronavirus disease as a pandemic, it is important that Ghana steps up her preparedness to ensure that beyond the initial measures that have been put in place, a ‘whole of Ghana’ approach is adopted in preparation for a possible hit within the country’s borders.
Statistics so far
Nearly 4,000 people have died globally, with China the source of the virus, and Italy being the most affected. Over 100,000 cases have been recorded in over 120 countries.
In Africa, there have been very few cases, with Egypt leading with 67 cases, followed by Algeria with 24. South Africa has 13 cases, Morocco six, Tunisia 7, Senegal 4, Burkina Faso 2, Nigeria 2, Togo 1, DR Congo 1, Cameroon 2, Gabon 1, and Cote D’Ivoire 1.
Ghana is the latest in Africa to record a case. Meanwhile there have been only three deaths so far in Africa, with one each recorded in Egypt, Morocco and Algeria respectively.
