The Covid-19 carrier who escaped mandatory quarantine in the Upper West Region, has been re-captured.

The 46-year-old Nigerian, Okafor Chikodi, fled when doctors in the region asked him to self-isolate after he tested positive for the virus.

Joy News' Upper West Regional Correspondent, Rafiq Salaam explained on Joy FM's Top Story that Mr Chikodi is currently being held at the Burns Unit of the Upper West Regional Hospital, which has been converted into an isolation centre.

The Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Francais Aboagye Nyarko told JoyNews after authorities learnt of Chikodi's escape messages were sent across various teams about the incident.

He explained that a subsequent tip-off by an informant led to the arrest of Okafor Chikodi.

“Yesterday around 10pm, an informant called me and said he will assist us to locate him," he said. "This morning the informant did a very good job and he really assisted the police to locate the patient.”

DCOP Aboagye Nyarko further revealed that the patient had relocated from his home to his friend's somewhere around Wa Polytechnic.

Seven persons who had come into contact with Chikodi while he was on the run have also been brought in by the Regional Health Directorate for observation and possible testing.

The Upper West Regional Health Director, Dr Osei Kuffour Afreh is relieved that Chikodi is back in isolation.

He is however calling for suitable accommodation for the isolation of covid-19 patients in the region.

“We are using one of our main wards for this purpose and that ward carries not more than 10 beds," he says. He told Joy News that both confirmed covid-19 patients and those awaiting testing or test results are being kept in the same space. "It is depleting our space,” he said.

He warned that if the number of cases in the region increases, the hospital might not be able to hold all of them.