Ten Guineans who were mandatorily quarantined after they entered Ghana have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The 10, who were picked up based on intelligence, entered the country from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Togo and quarantined in Tamale by the government based on the advice of the Northern Regional Security Committee.
It becomes the first cases to be recorded in the Northern Region since the country confirmed its first two cases in Accra on March 12.
As at Saturday March 28, when the number of cases stood at 141, only the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Upper West Regions had reported coronavirus from routine disease surveillance.
The Ghana Health Service which announced the cases of the Guineans Sunday said an additional person has also tested positive in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, bringing the number of cases recorded in the last 24 hours to 11.
Ghana’s total cases now stand at 152 with five deaths and two recoveries as at 11:00 a.m. Sunday.
What was the situation Saturday?
“As of 14:00 hours on the 28th March 2020, a total of 2,519 persons have been tested for COVID-19 in Ghana. Among the tested, 1,276 (50.7%) were persons under mandatory quarantine with 1,243 (49.3%) from routine surveillance activities. Among all 2,519 persons tested, one hundred and forty-one (141) tested positive representing 5.6%,” the Ghana Health Service announced.
It said among persons under mandatory quarantine, 79 of them representing 6.2% tested positive while those who tested positive under routine surveillance hits 62, representing 5.0% .
“Only three regions have so far reported cases- the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Upper West Regions from routine disease surveillance,” it indicated.
While the Upper West has one confirmed case, it said “the Ashanti Region has recorded 7 of the 8 cases recorded outside the Greater Accra Region. All other 54 cases from routine surveillance were recorded in the Greater Accra Region”.
Meanwhile, it said a total of 731 contacts of confirmed cases are currently being followed up by the contact tracing team, of which “53 were found to have symptoms and 48 have been tested with one person testing positive”.
Partial lockdown
President Nana Akufo-Addo in his the latest precautionary measure to stem the tide in the virus spread announced a partial two-week lockdown of the Accra metropolitan area, Tema, Kasoa and the Kumasi metropolitan area which have been identified as hotspots for the virus.
During the lockdown which takes effect from 1:00 a.m. Monday, residents in the affected areas will be allowed access to essential services, including shopping for foodstuffs, fuel or power and the use of public toilets
Ahead of the lockdown, hundreds of people in Accra have begun fleeing the city while others stormed shops and markets Saturday to stock up food and other essential supplies they will need during the period.
By 3news.com|Ghana
