Detailed update of Ghana's preparedness to deal with coronavirus

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The Ministry of Health (MoH) has designated the Ridge Hospital (Greater Accra Regional Hospital) and Tema General Hospital as initial case management centres in Accra to deal with the Corona Virus Infection.

The Ministry said in a press release that Regional Directors across the country have also been instructed to designate holding or treatment centres in their respective regions.

“We are preparing to designate more centres in the highly populated areas of Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Also, Case Management Teams have been activated to manage cases at the designated national centres and are currently receiving orientation on the management of possible coronavirus cases, the statement said.

Mysterious disease

The outbreak of what some are calling “a mysterious new virus” is rapidly spreading after originating in the central city of Wuhan, China.

The Chinese authorities said on Tuesday that the official account of known cases has jumped nearly 60 per cent overnight and the death toll has exceeded 100 for the first time.

China said on Tuesday that 106 people had died from the disease and is spreading across the country.

The previous death toll, on Monday, was 81.

The number of confirmed cases increased from 2,835 on Monday to 4,515 on Tuesday, according to the National Health Commission. The youngest confirmed case is a 9-month-old girl in Beijing.

Ivory Coast and Germany have also reported suspected cases of the virus.

Risk Communication

Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, said in a press release on the country’s preparedness that, social media messages have been developed for the general public. “These are aimed at informing the public on the disease and to inculcate the necessary preventive measures,” he said in the statement.

For further information, check out the following websites:

www.who.int

www.moh.gov.gh www.ghanahealthservice.org vvww.cdc.gov www.wahooas.org

Due to the evolving nature of the outbreak, the Ministry said it is imperative that the general public continues to observe the preventive measures outlined in the earlier press release. These measures are:

- Regular washing of hands with soap and water - Use of alcohol hand rub where available - Keep a distance of at least one step (one meter) from a person showing signs of fever, cough and difficulty in breathing

- When contact with a sick person or with potentially infected surfaces or objects occurs, please avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands;

- It is advisable to be physically active, drink plenty of water, eat well, reduce stress and have enough sleep

- People should seek treatment immediately if an infection is suspected, if symptoms occur or when advised by a health worker - Report any symptoms to the nearest health facility

The MoH continues to work with the World Health Organisation country office for Ghana and other partners to continuously monitor the situation and institute measures to prevent an outbreak in Ghana. We continue to urge the general public and all stakeholders to support efforts at preventing 2019-nCoV in Ghana

The MoH said it will update the nation on developments as and when they occur.

Coronavirus infograph

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