LIVE UPDATES: Press briefing as confusion rocks Parliament over MPs’ coronavirus test results

The Ministry of Information holds a press briefing at its Press Centre, Accra, to provide updates on Ghana’s Coronavirus case count and management.

Although it has been a regular session, the crux of today’s interaction is expected to be a confirmation or denial of reports that two (2) members of parliament and thirteen (13) parliamentary staff have tested positive for the virus.

After Head of Public Affairs Department of Parliament, Kate Addo, refuted media reports that two parliamentarians and 13 staff had tested positive for the virus, Minority Chief Whip Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka corroborated the reports.

He mentioned that the infected persons were informed of their status after Speaker of Parliament directed mass testing of all members and staff of the house last week.

Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, in a response, Wednesday, said nobody can unilaterally disclose the health status of another except the individual voluntarily does so.

“You cannot unilaterally put into the public realm that a person is positive. Let everybody know this, let every lady and gentleman, every person know this in this Republic, and it has been well-stated in this honourable house. You cannot unilaterally put in the public realm that a person is positive”.

“It is only for an individual to voluntarily, put it in the public realm and we are all learning from this as decent and honourable people and this honourable house will follow that line of example, that is our public duty," the speaker stated on the floor of the house.

Meanwhile Ghana’s coronavirus case count as announced earlier has moved from 7,117 to 7,303 after 186 infections were recorded. 2,412 persons have so far recovered while 34 have passed on, leaving the country with 4,857 active cases.