Coronavirus cases rise to 19 in Ghana

Two were reported from Greater Accra Region and one from Ashanti Region.

Three more confirmed cases of the global pandemic, coronavirus have been recorded in the Greater Accra Regional capital, Accra and Ashanti Region.

According to the Ghana Health Service, the three (3) new COVID-19 cases were confirmed on the 20th March 2020 with being reported from Greater Accra Region and one from Ashanti Region.

The report disclosed that the 17th case is a 55-year-old Ghanaian woman who resides in the United Kingdom but returned to Ghana about two weeks ago. After showing symptoms and getting tested, the results came out positive in the laboratory.

The 18th case is also a Ghanaian lady resident in the UK. The 84-year-old lady came to Ghana within the past two (2) weeks and developed symptoms. Laboratory tests of her sample confirmed the coronavirus.

A 27-year-old Chinese male who returned to Ghana and travelled to the Ashanti Region in the past two weeks developed symptoms and sample confirmed positive in the laboratory.

This brings to a total of nineteen (19) confirmed cases in Ghana, with no death.

Contact tracing has started in all these confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, government has also noted that containment measures have been deployed to prevent a rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country. Markets in the Greater Accra Region will be closed on Monday, March 23, 2020 for a disinfection exercise.

In a statement issued by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and sighted by GhanaWeb, the exercise has become necessary to rid the nation’s capital of any looming infestations.

"In line with the President's directive on measures to contain and prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly with support from the Greater Accra Markets Association wishes to inform the general public that there will be a massive disinfection exercise across all public market centres within its jurisdiction."

"Towards this end, the markets will be closed down on 23rd March and reopen the next day for normal business to continue." the statement read.