The University of Ghana management has suspended lectures following confirmation that one of its students has been infected with COVID-19.
The University of Ghana has also banned non-residential students from coming to the University of Ghana campus until further notice.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu made this known in a public address to the University community on Radio Univers earlier today, Sunday, March 15, 2020.
The Vice-chancellor further assured the University community of management’s commitment to ensure the spread of the disease is contained.
He added, “the University has put in place, prevention, detection and quarantine measures.”
“Lectures on all University of Ghana campuses, including clinicals and practicals, are suspended with immediate effect. In view of the suspension of lectures, students and staff who reside outside UG campuses and are currently off-campus should keep away from the campuses until they are asked to return. Staff providing essential services are excluded from this directive,” the University of Ghana added in a statement.
Management of the University also directed that the University Basic Schools and the Baby Nest Creche on Legon Campus should be “closed down until further notice.”
The statement, however, noted that the university is not being closed down “until contact tracing has been
effectively completed. Students and staff who reside on campuses of the University are therefore urged to remain on the campuses. Those who may have the infection and leave campus are likely to spread the virus.”
The University of Ghana Emergency Response Team (UG ERT) according to the statement has also linked up with the national contact tracing team.
“Social gatherings, religious services and sporting activities on the University campuses have already been suspended and the suspension will continue to be in force,” the statement added.
UG Vice-Chancellor urges calm
The Management of the University of Ghana has urged students, staff and the general public to remain calm as one of its students has tested positive to COVID-19.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu in an address to the University community on Sunday, March 15, 2020, said a COVID-19 case has been confirmed “involving one of our non-resident students who returned from an international trip.”
He said all students and members of the school community must remain calm as it is collaborating with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the situation is contained.
“I’m using this platform to reach out to all our students and other members of the University community to reassure you of management’s commitment to ensure measures in the best interest of all and appeal to all of you to remain calm… Let us remember that the student case is an imported one and together with the institutional and national agencies, there is an integrated effort to handle the case at hand. There is no cause of fear since we are pulling all available resources and efforts together to ensure better management of the situation,” he said.
Click here to read the full statement
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