The Upper East Region on Monday confirmed additional 10 cases of the Coronavirus (COVID- 19) bringing the total number of COVID-19 to 18.
This was contained in a press statement issued and signed by the Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Services (GHS) Dr Winfred Ofosu and copied to the Ghanaian Times here on Tuesday.
According to the release, the breakdown of the new confirmed cases are Bolgatanga five, Bawku Municipal one, Kassena-Nankana Municipal two, Bawku West one and Pusiga District also one.
It stated that the Regional Health Directorate and the COVID -19 Rapid Response Team had taken swift steps to communicate the results to the affected persons and their families and to also immediately identify all contacts of the ten new cases for immediate quarantine.
Meanwhile as part of measures to help decongest the Bolgatanga Municipal main market to help ensure the adherence to the protocol of social distance and public gatherings, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly had issued a directive to the vegetable sellers to move from the Bolgatanga main market to the jubilee park to sell their produce,
While cereal sellers had also been directed to move from the new market to the old market to transact their businesses, the Assembly had also directed that all craft dealers should move to the NAFAC grounds to sell their wares.
Clement Adjei Boye reports that the Western Region also witnessed an increase in the infected numbers of persons with six of the cases from Sekondi-Takoradi while the remaining two were from the Nzema East municipality bring the total number of cases to nine.
The new cases were detected through the routine surveillance mounted across the region.
“The Western Region has unfortunately increased in the number of Covid-19 cases.Two of the cases came from Axim Hospital and the remaining six cases are from STMA, one each from Effia Nkwanta Hospital and Takoradi Hospital and the remaining four samples were taken by the metropolitan response team. So now, we are into case management,” health officials added.
The regional health team, therefore, emphasised testing of all suspected cases, tracing of contacts and treatment of affected persons, explaining that, “All confirmed cases are asymptomatic( did not show symptoms of the disease), but, aggressive contact tracing should start from tomorrow( Tuesday).
“In view of the exponential nature of infections by Covid-19 we need to brace ourselves for more cases. We should test all suspected cases, trace contacts and treat those affected. We need to strengthen our health education messages and emphasise on preventive measures,” it said.
In all, the Western Region has recorded a total of 461 suspected cases with 152 sample results receivedas of yesterday. Out of the number, nine positive cases were one with 151 negative cases.
From Samuel Akapule, Bolgatanga
