Over 150 Ghanaians have had contact with Coronavirus patients – Ghana Health Service

• Posted on March 16, 2020March 16, 2020
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Director of Public Health at Ghana Health Service, Dr. Badu Sarkodie has confirmed that about 151 persons have so far been exposed to patients with confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in Ghana.

Giving an update on the status of the country Sunday, March 15, 2020, Dr. Sarkodie explained that four new cases were confirmed by the Kumasi Center for collaborative Research and the Noguchi Research Institutes at various points between Friday and Saturday.

Detailing on the updates, he mentioned that contact tracing has already began and so far, some over 100 persons have been identified as having come into contact with the affected patients.

The new cases involving a 56-year-old who returned from the UK, a student who returned from the United States of America, a 42-year-old Ghanaian male who returned from Switzerland and the UK, a 41-year-old who returned from Turkey and Germany, though are currently in isolation and stable, have since their return to Ghana contacted various persons.

The breakdown indicated that 2 contacts have been established in the first case, 107 in the second, 12 in the third and some 30 others in the last and fourth new confirmed Coronavirus case.

“First 4 cases, contact tracing has started. The last two cases were confirmed over the night and we have started tracing to establish the contacts. Concerning the first, we have identified two contacts and all the contacts are being traced.

The Norwegian, we have identified 107 contacts, and 68 of them, we’ve started processes to follow them up. The rest of them, within the close of the day, we’ll be in touch with them and support them with regards to the contact tracing.

Case three is a student, for now, we have identified 12 contacts. We are still in the process to work assiduously to get more. The fourth one, from Obuasi, we have established 30 contacts and all contacts are being followed up.” Dr. Badu Sarkodie noted.

Meanwhile, all 6 cases are stable, have been isolated and are receiving treatment.

This update follows an earlier one announced by the health ministry Thursday. Ghana confirmed two cases of COVID-19 on March 12, 2020, being the first cases to be reported in the country.

The Ministry of Health disclosed in a statement on Thursday that the two confirmed cases were received at the same time from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

-Ghanaweb