President Akufo-Addo has revealed that 17 out 67 persons who were arrested for allegedly entering Nkwanta from the Greater Accra Region have tested positive for Coronavirus.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) intercepted 2 Cargo vehicles on the Nkawkaw stretch carrying these persons.
In his 8th Address to the Nation on measures taken against the spread of Coronavirus, he said “These seventeen (17) were the result of interceptions near Nkwanta by officers of the Immigration Service and other security personnel of two (2) cargo vehicles that had on 2 board a total of sixty-seven (67) passengers, who were illegally entering the Region from Accra during the period of the ‘lockdown’, and all of whom were tested, with seventeen (17) proving positive”
He added that the country is still very much in unchartered territory, and, clearly, the citizenry still has some way to go towards ridding ourselves of the virus.
The President hinted that the country registered a modest success i.e an important battle to trace and test many of persons who had come into contact with infected persons.
He also mentioned that the country will not rest on its laurels and also not let its guard down.
President says he is confident the country will pursue its strategy of enhanced 3Ts i.e tracing and testing to allow the health professionals identify infected person, isolate and treat them.
He urged Ghanaians to join the frontline health professionals in their fight at eradicating the pandemic.
“Government has enabled domestic production and supply of protective equipment to our health workers to increase significantly – they have received, in recent days, nine hundred and five thousand, and thirty-one (905,031) nose masks, thirty one thousand, six hundred and thirty (31,630) medical scrubs” he noted.
He further revealed that thirty one thousand, four hundred and seventy-two (31,472) gowns, forty-six thousand, eight hundred and seventy (46,870) head covers, and eighty-three thousand, five hundred (83,500) N-95 face masks are part of the enabled domestic production and supply of protective equipment to our health workers.
He however lauded the Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyemang Manu for his tireless efforts.
“I have as of Saturday 25th April,2020, issued directives to guide the production and mandatory wearing of face mask. We should all comply to the directives as the Regional Coordinating Council for Greater Accra, Ashanti Region and Central Region are demanding for their residents” he hinted.
President Akufo-Addo says he is confident that together, all the protocols will prove effective in helping each other to avoid contracting the virus.
He said “We are told by the Scientists that the virus mode of transport is human-contact, ie. Talking. Singing, Coughing, Sneezing and thereby sending droplets of the virus from the infected person. This is more reason each one of us must adhere strictly to these directives”
Story by Mandy Woods