Some 30 health officials at the Ho Teaching Hospital in the Volta region have been asked to self-quarantine by managers of the facility after coming into contact with a patient who tested positive for the deadly novel coronavirus.

The patient, a 50-year old woman was said to have reported to the facility on Sunday, while unconscious but was resuscitated, and had her blood samples taken by the health officials for testing at the University of Health and Allied Sciences testing centre.

Confirming the development to Starr News, the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Amos Jah indicated that the situation forced the temporal closure of the accidents and emergency departments of the hospital for a disinfection exercise.

“The patient was brought in through the accidents and emergency unit in an unconscious state but after the resuscitation, Covid-19 was suspected and sample quickly taken to the UHAS testing centre. She has since been confirmed as a positive case thus, it’s a basic protocol to disinfect that unit and that is what has been done,” he stated.

He added, however, that “the place is therefore opened to the public this evening.”

Mr Jah indicated further that though the 30 health officials would undergo a fourteen-day quarantine, after which a test would be conducted to establish their status, the hospital has a backup workforce that would ensure that the facility remains operational.

“The Director of Nursing and Human Resources have quickly roped in other nurses from different units to support and that is what effective management is all about,” he intimated.

He urged the public not to be worried about the development as the facility remains safe for usage.