Speaker of Parliament Prof Mike Ocquaye is cautioning MPs against sensationalism in the disclosure of Covid-19 statuses.

He says Parliament will not be in a hurry to disclose the status of MPs and other staff because it encourages stigmatization.

The call comes after some MPs demanded that the Covid-19 status of their colleagues who have tested positive for the virus is made known to the House.

But according the Speaker, disclosing the Covid-19 status of a person is solely the individuals' prerogative.

“It's very clear from our discussions this morning that you cannot unilaterally put into the public realm that a person is positive. Let every person in this republic know this.

"And as it has been well stated in this honorable house, you cannot unilaterally put in the public realm that a person is positive. It is only for an individual to voluntarily put this in the public realm and we are all learning from this," he told the house on Tuesday, from where Joseph Opoku Gakpo reports.

There have been reports that two Parliamentarians and 13 staff have tested positive for the coronavirus after the Speaker called for mandatory testing.

Although the reports were debunked by the House, Member of Parliament for Asawase Muntaka Mubarak, confirmed to Daniel Dadzie on Joy Prime's Prime Morning that they are true.

The Minority Chief Whip disclosed that two Parliamentarians and 13 staff have so far tested positive for Covid-19.

According to him, the infected persons were informed of their status after Speaker of Parliament directed mass testing of all members and staff of the House last week and further explained that the infected persons have been isolated while contact tracing has commenced.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the Covid-19 status of Parliamentarians should not be hidden.

The Speaker Mike Ocquaye argues that it is the sole decision of such persons to either disclose their status or not.

"If you'll allow me to quote from what Hon. Dr Okoe Boye said ‘we should show that we are not in a hurry to disclose names, worthy of a headline’ and it is my view that such sensationalism where it is going on must stop because they rather encourage stigmatization," he added.