Ghana’s health ministry has confirmed that the country has recorded two cases of coronavirus (COVID-19).
According to the country’s Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the cases were confirmed on Thursday.
Agyeman-Manu told journalists on Thursday evening, that the two cases are the first cases to be recorded in country.
He said “Laboratory results of the two confirmed cases were received at the same time from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research. Both individuals returned to Ghana, one from Norway, and the other from Turkey so these are imported cases of COVID-19.
“Both patients are currently being kept in isolation and are stable. We have initiated processes for contact tracing,” the Minister added.
Ghana becomes the latest African country to confirm the deadly virus, increasing the number of cases in Africa to over 110.
Ghana confirms 2 cases of COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/9T6KkP8hCi
— Ministry of Information (@moigovgh) March 12, 2020
Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo on Wednesday appealed to Ghanaians to immediately halt all foreign travels excerpt for those that would be critical.
The President made the after neighouring countries, namely Togo, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso all recorded cases.
On Wednesday evening President Akufo-Addo in a national broadcast also said his government had allocated $100 million to keep Ghana alert to fight the possible outbreak of the virus.
Over twelve countries have so far recorded the virus in Africa, with Ghana the latest to join the list.
But relatively Africa’s number of infection is still a very small number compared to other countries outside the continent.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, many international experts have wondered why Africa isn’t recording high numbers.
There have been claims by some experts that Africa may be under reporting cases or simply not testing people enough.
But Africa has rejected those claims related to under-reporting cases and conducting tests poorly.
#COVID19/#coronavirus cases in #Africa update:
??Algeria 20
??Senegal 6
??Togo 1
??Cameroon 2
??Nigeria 2
??South Africa 13
??Burkina Faso 2
??DRC 1
??Cote d’Ivoire 1??Egypt: 67
??Tunisia: 7
??Morocco: 6@WHO AFRO status report (11/03/20): https://t.co/qJ4gbUzleT pic.twitter.com/oTNZg6w8as— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) March 12, 2020
Source: Africafeeds.com
