The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service has called on residents in and around the Greater Accra Region to adhere to the Covid-19 protocols.

Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye's is aimed at reducing the number of Covid-19 cases as the region is recording a lot of cases.

"We have not reached last July's peak, but currently we are still having a steep rise so we need to work really hard to bring that down," he said.

In a press briefing to address the Covid-19 surge, he made an alarming declaration that “on January 21 and 22 alone, the number of confirmed new cases from 17 Districts and 8 Regions were 646; with Korle Klottey and Ayawaso being key areas when reporting the cases."

“Greater Accra is still concentrated [with Covid-19] in the Accra Metro and its environments whereas the districts far away from Accra remain relatively low," Mr. Kuma Aboagye added.

The Director-General also confirmed the information that the UK and South African variants of Covid-19 have detected at the airport, a development he says could be a cause of the rapid increase in the Covid-19 cases.

The new variant, according to Senior Researcher and Virologist with the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) at the University of Ghana, Dr Peter Kojo Quashie is not “more deadly” however spread faster. They are highly transmissible and they replicate faster.

"When we tested the isolated people at the airport, we found cases of the UK and South African variant among them, chances are that we may have them and that may be responsible for the increasing number or spread," the Director-General said.

Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye advised persons who believed they had the virus to self-quarantine and isolate themselves while they develop a plan to visit the health facilities with the capacity of attending to Covid-19 infections.

“Unlike the previous surge, the number of people who are falling ill is significantly high.

"If you have a reason to test, because you feel you are exposed or you feel you came in contact with somebody and for that matter, you don't feel well, you need to self-quarantine. Self-isolate until your results come in," he added.