A TIMELINE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN GHANA
The global Covid-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 1.88million people with over 87.2million infected persons worldwide with Ghana as no exception but the country has pulled through.
The novel Covid-19 hit the shores of Ghana on the 13th March, 2020 with two imported cases. The Ghana Health Ministry confirmed that there were two cases at the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research. “Both patients are currently being kept in isolation and are stable. We have initiated processes for contact tracing.” The health ministry said.
In the wake of the coronavirus infection in Ghana, the President of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency Nana Akuffo Addo began a series of State of the Nation Address starting from the 15th of March 2020, laying down rules and regulations to be followed as well as certain restrictions on schools, social gatherings, churches and public places. In April, the cases were rising quickly as a result of the ongoing contact test and tracing. The president placed a partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi but on 30th March but the lockdown was later lifted while safety protocols were in place.
The Greater Accra Region which is the capital of Ghana; Accra has recorded the highest number of infections with 5,507 confirmed cases. Followed by the Ashanti Region and then the Western Region recording a spike in infection with 1,184 and 421 cases respectively. There is evidently a huge gap between the first and the second Regions owing to the fact that Greater Accra is highly populated and the location and destination for the initial imported cases. The top three highly infected regions are scattered in various parts of the country whereas the three least infected Regions are closely located in the Northern part of the country. The sum total of other regions with confirmed cases did not add up to a quarter of cases in the Greater Accra Region.
“Most Ghanaians are taking the measures very seriously be it out of fear or caution sadly enough they listen to the politicians and not the scientist which is very wrong. The media is just helping politicians score points. I employ everyone to wear the mask even though it’s not airborne” a medical laboratory scientist at the Ajumako District hospital Mr Ernest Ahama expressed his opinion on the situation.
The country saw the lowest number of cases in March and the highest in January but very high number of recoveries. At present the total recoveries is 58,651 and the death rates stands at 377.
Citizens are advised to continuously observe all protocols and engage in social distancing and not to take the relaxation as freedom as the virus is still rampant. To facilitate the smooth reopening of schools, government through the Ministry of Education will ensure that institutions are fumigated. Government is set to provide face masks, buckets, hand sanitizers, and thermometer guns for the safe re-opening of schools and for the country to return back to stability.
