Ghana’s test of COVID-19 at-risk population shows 1.3% infected

Ghana has recorded a total of 1.3 per cent of COVID-19 infections among the at-risk population of 50,719 tested, as at April 15, 2020.

Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information, said as at mid-night on April 15, the country’s COVID-19 case count was 641.

There have been eight deaths and 83 recovered patients.

Additionally, 17 treated patients are awaiting the results of their second tests to be clinically declared recovered, after the first ones came out negative.He was addressing a press briefing, in Accra, on Thursday, on the  COVID-19 pandemic and related matters in the Ghana.

The Information Minister explained that the strategy for the testing management of the disease had been grouped into three: with the first involving the normal surveillance system which, had tested a total of 13,838 persons who either self-reported to health facilities, or called the 112 help-line for assistance.

Out of these, 268 (1.9 per cent), tested positive.

The second category, he said, comprised travellers who entered the country through the Kotoka International Airport in Accra and Tamale, after the announcement of the travel ban, hence they had to be put under the 14-day mandatory quarantine.

He said 105 (5.28 per cent ) of the 2,011 persons tested in Accra, were positive, while 10 (91 per cent ) of the 11 tests conducted on the other travellers held in Tamale, also tested positive.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah explained that the Enhanced Contact Tracing and Testing exercise being undertaken in Accra, Tema, Kasoa, Kumasi and other hotspot areas in the country, had also resulted in the testing of 34,869 persons, out of which 258, representing 0.7 per cent, had proven positive.

The Minister said the statistics available currently gave an idea of the level of challenge that existed within the system, adding that, it was such elements that would form the President’s decision on what would happen next.

Source: GNA