The Kumasi metropolitan area as well as Oforikrom and Kwadaso Municipalities are driving Covid-19 cases in the Ashanti Region, as they account for over 57 per cent of new cases.

Twenty-five metropolitan, municipal and district areas out of 43 have recorded 491 newly confirmed cases, as of July 18, 2021.

The three areas have recorded 281 cases; Kumasi metro leads with 163 cases, followed by Oforikrom and Kwadaso with 70 and 48 cases respectively, according to a Covid-19 situational report released by the Ghana Health Service.

Kumasi and Oforikrom also lead in the regional breakdown of cumulative figures. Ashanti region has since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020 recorded a cumulative 17,115 Covid-19 confirmed cases.

The region has also recorded 260 deaths, with 26 of the deaths recorded at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital alone since the Delta variant was detected in March 2021.

Kumasi metro has recorded 10 deaths between July 1 and 10 at treatment centres.

The situation has prompted the Assembly to issue a statement warning residents of the upsurge.

The majority of those killed by Covid-19 in the region are those within the age bracket of 60 and 69, accounting for 67 deaths.

It is followed by 50-59 years with 47 deaths, as well as 70-79 year-olds accounting for 42 deaths.

Ironically, the region has recorded 2 deaths of children under 9 years as well as 5 teenage deaths, aged between 10 and 19 years.

Kumasi metro has so far recorded 4,763 cases, followed by Oforikrom municipality with 1,826 cases and Asokwa, also with 895 confirmed positive cases.

The region currently has 840 active cases. Whilst 814 are being managed at home, 26 are receiving care at treatment centres.

Nine of the cases are classified as severe, 4 in critical condition and 13 classified as moderate and mild.

The upsurge in cases in the region comes at the time when residents have total disregard for Covid-19 safety protocols, especially in crowded places such as churches, funerals and market centres.

Few people seen in facemasks, for instance, are either mocked or classified as odd.

Many in an apathetic state blame politicians who organize or patronize mega funerals and other events at the time when a ban on funerals is in full force for having driven their decision to disregard the protocols, especially wearing of face masks.

Health authorities have a herculean task to whip up public interest again, especially on safety protocols.

The rising Covid-19 cases in the country vis-a-vis disregard for safety protocols have compelled the Ghana Health Service to hold a crunch brainstorming crisis meeting in Kumasi.

Director-General of Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye is leading the meeting attended by all regional health directors and other top brass of the service to discuss and find ways to curb the rising Covid-19 cases.