President Akufo-Addo has revealed data available from the Ghana Health Service indicate that Ghana appears to be experiencing a third wave of Covid-19 infections.

Delivering his 26th address to the nation Sunday, July 25, President Akufo-Addo said “it appears that, unfortunately, our nation is experiencing a third wave of Covid-19 infections.”

The increased infections, he disclosed, have largely been driven by the Delta Variant of the virus, which has in its wake increased transmissibility rates according to the World Health Organisation.

The President said, the increase in infection rates in recent weeks, has led to a rise in hospitalisation and ICU bed uptakes, and in worst cases, deaths.

President Akufo-Addo noted that the entire development is very alarming, especially as, “we are being told by officials of the Ghana Health Service, that the recovery rate is on the decline.”

In its latest update, the Ghana Health Service revealed that as of July 23, the number of active cases stand at 4,521. The total case count is 101,170 with some 96,759 discharges/recoveries.

“Our daily infection rate for the past week is three hundred and fifty (350) cases, and, sadly, forty (40) more people have died from COVID over the last ten (10) weeks, bringing the cumulative number of deaths to eight hundred and twenty-three (823) since the onset of the pandemic,” the President stressed. 

President Akufo-Addo is therefore urging Ghanaians is adhere strictly to the Covid-19 protocols, explaining that, the country, “cannot afford to return to the days of partial lockdowns, which brought considerable hardships and difficulties for all of us.”

According to him, it is necessary to adhere to all Covid-19 protocols and the wearing of face masks is not an exception to that rule.

“It is extremely troubling to note that the high compliance rate with mask-wearing has fallen alarmingly. The wearing of masks in public places, fellow Ghanaians, continues to be mandatory.”

He stated that,” anyone found flouting this directive will have him or herself to blame.”

Currently, Greater Accra and Kumasi Metropolitan areas remain the hotspots of infections.