Afia Ohemeng
The impact of the COVID-19 disease keeps increasing as the number of cases go up.
Currently two more cases of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Kumasi,Ghana taking the total to 11 cases.
On the Ghana Health Service (GHS) website, the case count had moved from the earlier stated 9 to 11.
The new cases were confirmed at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR) today. According to GHS, both victims are resident in Kumasi.
STATEMENT BY GHANA HEALTH SERVICE
On 19 March 2020, we received notification from KCCR indicating two (2) newly confirmed cases in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
-The first is a 59-year-old Ghanaian woman, resident in the United Kingdom who recently returned to Ghana and currently living in Kumasi, reported to a private hospital with the history of fever (temp of 39.1 ℃ ), general malaise, cough and runny nose. Her condition was suspected to be COVID-19. Sample was subsequently collected and sent to KCCR and the report was received this early morning as positive for COVID-19.
-The second case is a 61-year-old Lebanese male trader and resident in Kumasi. He felt unwell and reported to a health facility with fever (temp 39.4 ℃ ), and cough. The sample tested positive for COVID-19.
-Both case patients are being managed in isolation and responding to treatment.
So far the confirmed cases in Ghana are from Turkey, Norway, Germany, France, United States of America, United Kingdom (UK) and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
With regards to contact tracing, a total of 399 contacts have been identified and are being followed up. Nineteen (19) of the contacts developed some forms of symptoms and samples were taken for laboratory testing.
We have received laboratory results for 15 of them which are all negative for COVID-19 and we are awaiting results for the four (4) others. Contact identification and tracking for the newly confirmed cases have just started.
