DG of Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye,
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has warned that the new UK variant of the COVID-19 virus is widely spreading. It has therefore stressed the need for Ghanaians to comply with the safety protocols.
It has further warned that the UK variant has a higher rate of spread, adding that when it becomes dominant, the consequences can be dire.
“The UK strain is widespread and slowly becoming more dominant. It mutates and tries to take over [the manageable variant] and become more dominant,” it said.
Currently, Ghana had recorded active case of 5,515, with 424 deaths, with majority of the active cases from Greater Accra, Ashanti and Western regions.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday to give an update of Ghana’s COVID-19 status, the GHS Director-General, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, was concerned that a significant number of outbreaks was recorded at workplaces and harvesting in the general population.
Compared to risks that may occur in the markets, he observed that the workplace may have poor ventilation and people opening doors, among other things.
“What we know for a fact is that the spread in open places and market is a much lower risk area for the spread of the virus compared to indoor places or offices. When we start seeing a risk wave, we’ll act, but as far as our data and case investigation are concerned, open places are low risks for now,” he said.
Face mask adherence
Dr Kuma-Aboagye further revealed that as part measures to assess the adherence to the mandatory wearing of face masks in the Greater Accra Region, his outfit conducted a survey which revealed that there had been an increase in compliance.
Findings from the survey suggested that 36 per cent of the population are not wearing the mask appropriately; 42 per cent are wearing masks appropriately; while 22 per cent of Ghanaians are not wearing mask at all.
“Compared to the previous survey in October 2020, the number of people wearing the face mask correctly have increased from 10 per cent to 42 per cent and those not wearing the facemask correctly have decreased from 72 per cent to 36 per cent. 78 per cent of the people observed had an intension to use the face mask, out of which 42 per cent wore the face mask correctly while 22 per cent of the people observed were not wearing the face mask at all,” he said.
The survey targeted six target districts which are current hotspots, namely Ayawaso West, Korle Klottey, Ayawaso East, Accra Metro, Ablekuma Central and Ga West. He disclosed with 43 communities visited, it was realized that the compliance level is high among persons at the University of Ghana and Okponglo.
Providing clarity
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information-designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has clarified some misconceptions with regard to President Nana Akufo-Addo’s imposition of ban on social gathering.
“The President did not ban burial service because the activity of burial, we actually encourage to go on… What is banned is the funeral where typically in the Ghanaian community we will all gather, shake hands, announcement of people, then they’ll call for a song, people will come and dance, where there is a little party associated with it. That is what has been banned,” he explained.
“The President did not say that marriages are banned. In the same way, when it comes to marriage, what the President has said is that what in Ghana we call wedding, the full-blown wedding where we have a big party with a reception and people dancing and people eating, sitting at reception tables, etc, that is what has been banned,” he added.
“We’ve got a lot of requests… so what if somebody is having a church service, which is allowed, and they choose to bless their marriage there as part of the church service. I’m not sure that is what has been banned. It’s the wedding. The full-blown wedding with its reception and social activity associated with it is what has been banned,” Mr Oppong Nkrumah further clarified.
About The Author
