Residents of Anto in the Shama District of the Western Region can now heave a sigh of relief, as Covid-19 test results of some 71 workers of a quarry returned negative.

These individuals came into contact with a Chinese national who tested positive for the virus some two weeks ago.

The community was thrown into a panic when the Western Region had its first confirmed Covid-19 two weeks ago from the foreigner who works with the Coastal Quarry Company in Shama-Anto.

A community member, Amos Afful said he and his family had been living in fear for the past weeks, knowing that some of the workers are from the community.

He added that their only consolation was the fact that the workers were quarantined at their workplace.

"I am happy they didn’t allow them to come home but quarantine them at their workplace," he told JoyNews.

A release issued by the Western Region Minister, Kwabena Okyere-Darko Mensah also said the Chinese national has also tested negative for the virus.

“Nevertheless, a second sample will be taken after the quarantine to make assurance, double sure,” he added.

In a related development, Western Regional Health Director, Dr Jacob Mahama has confirmed to JoyNews that the region has recorded 8 new cases of Covid-19 bringing the tally to 9. 

Six of the new cases were recorded in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and the other two recorded in the Nzema East Municipality in Axim.

Dr Mahama, in an interview, said seven out of the total number were asymptomatic with a temperature between 36.2°C and 37.6°C whilst the other one showed signs of cough, headache, general body weakness and muscle pain with a temperature of 38.8°C.

"They are cases from routine surveillance out of which five are males and three females and they all have a history of travel but not in the last 14 days.

"We have identified three of them; a naval officer, fire service officer and security man at a hotel," he added

Dr Mahama further revealed that “none of them had travel history for the past 14 days.”

Six of them had travell history prior to the lockdown. Three from the USA, one from Belgium, one from the United Kingdom and one from Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

"We have 304 pending results and we are hoping it also turns out negative," he revealed.