Municipal, district and health authorities in Obuasi are bracing up for a potential increase in community spread of Covid-19 as every suburb is infected.

Obuasi and its surrounding communities have in the last two months seen their Covid-19 cases jump from 3 to 456.

This represents about 80% of the total number of cases recorded in the entire Ashanti Region.

Local and health authorities have introduced several measures including setting up of two isolation centres to contain the spread.

However, public apathy by residents about the prevalence of the virus has led to total disregard for social distancing protocols especially by market women leading to the closure of two market centres.

Authorities say the market will be opened to only 500 traders at a time as a shift system is considered.

The Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, Elijah Adansi Bornah said, “We are opening the market tomorrow [Friday] on condition that the team will be able to meet the last group of market leaders.

“We’ve engaged all of them with the exception of two groups, but the committee agreed that in the morning the market women should start coming to the central business area to transact whatever business they were transacting before the closure.

“However, we have about 1500 shop owners so now we’re giving out not more than 500 cards to 500 shop owners so that we can drastically reduce the number of people who come to the central business area.”

Obviously worried about every suburb having cases Mr Adansi Bornah said, “Per the graph plotted now, I can say that almost all the suburbs have one or two cases.

"Initially, when one suburb was mentioned to have recorded a case everybody was moving from that area to the other centres and I can say that contributed to the spread. So then everybody must stay where he or she is as we always say, if you move, the virus moves if you stay it stays.”

The surge in Covid 19 cases is not only a concern to residents, but the two local assemblies in Obuasi.

They are proposing to the presidency through the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council to introduce restrictions on people's movement in the area.

“When we met on Wednesday, the clinicians also said something that any form of restriction that can also enhance contact tracing would be appreciated.

"We will also escalate the advice to our bosses so whatever decision that will be taken from the centre...I think either a partial lockdown or curfew can be announced by the president,” Mr Bornah said.