Some family members of the teenager who died before testing positive for Covid-19, at Walewale in the North East region have finally agreed to self-quarantine.

This comes after an earlier rejection of the test conducted by the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research.

Describing the test results as “fake” the family refused to cooperate with contact tracing efforts by health authorities in the region and declined to into self-quarantine as advised by the authorities.

They have, however, changed their minds, North East Regional Health Director, Abubakari Abdulai revealed to JoyNews.

He said some members of the family are beginning to soften their stance and have agreed to self-quarantine.

On contact tracing, Dr Abdulai disclosed that 43 persons who had contact with the body of the diseased have been identified.

Seven of these persons who had primary contacts are staff of the Walewale Municipal Hospital and the Alhaq Herbal Centre a private facility where the deceased was first attended to. 

As part of enhanced contract tracing and surveillance activities, the directorate has also directed the Alhaq Herbal Centre, to suspend operation temporarily.  

The health facility has since been disinfected and currently out of operation. 

"We've started the contact tracing and I can tell you that, so far, we have 43 primary contacts. Out of which seven are health staff; three from the herbal clinic where the deceased earlier visited, and four from the Municipal Hospital,” Dr. Abdulai revealed. 

Controversy

The circumstances under which the patient died and the subsequent confirmation of his positive coronavirus test sparked protests from the relatives, intensifying doubts about the virus among residents of Walewale. 

The infected person who had no travel history was rushed to the Walewale Municipal Hospital where he died shortly after admission. 

He was said to have first visited a licensed chemical shop and then to a private herbal clinic before being taken to the Municipal Hospital after his condition deteriorated. 

The body was detained at the facility for testing after the hospital suspected coronavirus. 

The result from the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research delayed, resulting in protests by the family who had wanted to bury their relative. 

A family source told JoyNews that, the body had begun to decompose because the hospital mortuary had no functional refrigerators and air conditioners.

After several failed attempts by both the hospital management and the municipal health authorities to transfer the body to Bolga or the Tamale Teaching hospital, the body was handed over to the family who went ahead to bury it in line with the tenants of Islam. 

The victim was, however, confirmed positive as announced by the health authorities on Friday April, 10, two days after the burial.

Investigations

Speaking on the development, the regional director Dr. Abdulai said, he has ordered an investigation into the family’s claims. 

"We will carry an investigation to find out whether the allegation is true of not because we have a different report from the hospital. So we intend to form a committee to investigate on what really happened".