The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it is shutting down its office in Ghana to test its capacity to manage the Coronavius pandemic.

The IMF has asked its staff in the country not to report to work on Friday and carry out all their work online or virtual platforms.

Currently, no staff of the Fund in Ghana has been infected with the coronavirus.

According to a source close to the IMF, this is part of several simulations in understanding the situation should any of its staff be “infected”.

JoyBusiness understands that as of now all activities are being done online or virtual platforms.

The source adds that this is to ensure that their operations in the country do not grind to a halt should the Coronavirus get out of hand in the country.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.

Globally, there have been 134,511 cases recorded and at least 4,970 deaths.

Two cases confirmed in Ghana

The Ministry of Health has announced that two cases of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Ghana.

The cases, according to the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, were confirmed on Thursday, March 12, 2020.

At an impromptu press briefing, the Health Minister announced that these were the first two cases confirmed in Ghana.

The confirmation makes Ghana the latest African country to record the disease that has hit at least nine sub-Saharan African countries.