Gold Fields Ghana (GFG) has confirmed positive Covid-19 cases at its Tarkwa mine.

A press release from the mining company said it "received the test results from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research on May 3, 2020." 

According to Gold Fields, "The patient, who is a worker of one of our mining contractors, has been isolated and receiving treatment.

"The worker’s wife also tested positive and has been isolated as well. The couple are in a stable condition." 

Following confirmation of the case, Gold Fields and the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal rapid response team have begun aggressive contact tracing among the workforce and within the mine host communities. 

"Samples of work colleagues who have been identified through the ongoing contact tracing exercise have been taken. These employees are also undergoing self-isolation for 14 days," Gold Field added.

The company said it has also tracked the employee’s movement over the past few weeks, and together with the municipal team are tracing other people with whom he may have come into contact within the Tarkwa community. 

Gold Field assured its employees, members of our host communities and the general public that they are on high alert and have activated their Covid-19 emergency response protocols to contain the spread of the virus in their operations as well as within their host communities.

"Production at the mine has to date not been affected. We will continue to prioritise the health and safety of our employees and the communities hosting our operations," it said.