Government says it has set up a quarantine centre at Tamale in the Northern Region after the confirmation of 10 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in that part of the country.
Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu made this known at a media encounter in Accra on Sunday, March 29, 2020.
“We have now created a quarantine centre at Tamale and this afternoon we have put in 10 tested positive cases. All the 10 in Tamale are foreign nationals. Information we have from the case management people is that all those who tested positive are in very good condition. They have started engaging them,” he said.
Mr. Manu also indicated that plans are far advanced to deploy the use of drones to test blood samples of suspected cases in areas distant from the testing centres.
Similar technology he said, will be used in the distribution of other essential medical supplies and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
“We are also deploying the facilities with drones to start flying some of the samples and protective products. This network is seriously triggered with the support of the military and we believe we can reach anybody as quickly as we have to,” he noted.
COVID-19 cases in Ghana hit 152
Ghana’s case count for COVID-19 has increased to 152 as of today, Sunday, March 29, 2020.
This followed the confirmation of 11 new cases by the Ghana Health Service.
Ten (10) of the new cases were among persons who were under mandatory quarantine in Tamale under the direction of the Regional Security Committee of the Northern Region.
The 10 cases involved Guinean residents who travelled through Burkina Faso and Togo to Ghana and were picked following intelligence report.
The eleventh case was recorded in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The 10 Guineans are currently asymptomatic; yet to show signs of COVID-19, but the government says it is collaborating with the relevant authorities in the West African sub-region to send them back to their home country for treatment.
The 10 Guineans who were confirmed COVID-19 positive in Ghana arrived in Ghana before President Nana Akufo-Addo’s directive for the closure of Ghana’s land, sea and air borders.
The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who made the announcement at the press conference said the Guineans will be sent back to their home country for treatment.
“The information I have is that the Ghanaian and other West African authorities are completing arrangements so that they can be repatriated to their county of origin so that treatment to take place there. So they will not be treated in this jurisdiction,” he said.
Regions affected
So far, cases have been confirmed in the Greater Accra Region, Ashanti Region, Northern Region and the Upper West Region.
Upper West region – 1 case
Ashanti Region – 8 cases
Northern Region – 10 cases
Greater Accra region – 133 cases (including 79 people mandatory quarantine)
