Coronavirus: American arrested for entering Ghana illegally

An American who illegally crossed into Ghana through the Aflao border in the Volta Region has been arrested and placed under mandatory quarantine for the next 14 days.

He was said to have flown through neighbouring Togo on March 20, just two days before Ghana announced suspension of flights into the country and closure of all its borders on the back of the outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus.

“All our borders; by land, sea and air, will be closed to human traffic for the next two weeks beginning midnight on Sunday,” President Nana Akufo-Addo announced at the weekend, explaining the decision o “limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain its spread; provide adequate care for the sick”.

Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Operations, Laud Kwasi Ofori-Afrifa, has revealed the because of the closure people were now trying to enter Ghana through the landed borders especially through the Volta Region.

In the case of the American, Mr Ofori-Afrifa said: “He was attempting to circumvent the suspension of flights”.

At a news briefing in Accra Tuesday to update Ghanaians on the successes of the border closure since Sunday, Mr Ofori-Afrifa said he suspects the man, whose details have not been given, colluded with immigration officials in Ghana and Togo, saying “We believe collusion from officers across”.

The deputy Comptroller General said the suspect tested for coronavirus and the result came out negative but indicated health officials will quarantine him for 14 days.

“He is under arrest, detention and is being sent to mandatory quarantine,” he said.

A determination on what action to take against him after the quarantine period, he said “will be announced in consultation with the legal authority” later.

Ghana’s covid-19 situation

A total of 52 cases have been confirmed so far with two deaths and no recovery.

Ghana on Tuesday recorded its highest cases ever since the first two cases were recorded on March 12. A total of 25 Ghanaians under mandatory quarantine tested positive for the virus that has triggered a global health crisis.

The 25 were part of 1,030 Ghanaians who have mandatorily been quarantined at different locations in Accra by the government since arriving in the country from midnight of Sunday, March 22 following the shutdown of the country’s entry points to non-citizens.

Health personnel have so far managed to take samples from 611 of the total number of people quarantined of which results for 185 have been processed and released.

“Out of the 185 test results received, we have 25 of those quarantined tested positive. If we add on to the earlier number of 27, it means we have 52 tested positives in our country at the moment,” Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang-Manu told journalists Tuesday.

Results of 426 people are outstanding.

Mr Agyemang-Manu said those who tested positive have been handed to the case management teams and are being sent to isolation centres for treatment otherwise known as case management, noting they have deployed psychologists to have a chat with them.

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