Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced plans to close the country’s borders to human traffic for the next two weeks, beginning midnight on Sunday, March 22.
This follows the sharp increase in Ghana’s confirmed coronavirus cases in the last eight days, with the latest count as at March 21 being 20, and one death, who according to the President “had serious underlying health complications.”
Ghana records two(2) new cases of COVID-19 with 1 death, this leaves the existing case count in the country to be 20
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— Disease Surveillance Dept_GHS (@DSD_GHS) March 21, 2020
Speaking in his third national address in the last ten (10) days to update Ghanaians on the country’s fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, the President said: “ Anybody who comes into the country, before midnight on Sunday, will be mandatorily quarantined and tested for the virus. This closure will not apply to goods, supplies and cargo.”
The Ministry of Health is expected to step up its contact tracing efforts and test all persons who have been identified as having come into contact with infected persons.
According to the President, fifty thousand additional test kits have been ordered, and are expected in the country very shortly and more personal protection equipment is being procured to beef up supplies for frontline health workers.
The Ministry of Health is also mobilising new and retired healthcare professionals to augment the country’s preparedness in dealing with a possible surge in infections.
These are part of additional measures by the government to stem the spread of the virus, after announcing some initial measure on March 15.
The new measures are intended to not only limit and stop “the importation of the virus”, but contain its spread and allow for the provision of adequate care for the sick.
The government expects the latest actions to limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life, and inspire the expansion of our domestic capability while deepening our self-reliance.
President Nana Akufo-Addo appealed to all Ghanaians, Christians and Muslims, to observe a national day of fasting and prayer on Wednesday, 25th March 2020.
“Let us pray to God to protect our nation and save us from this pandemic,” he stated.
By: Rabiu Alhassan
