There are fear and panic among residents living around Elite Hostel near Koforidua Technical University (KTU) in the New Juaben South Municipality of the Eastern region following the arrival of an alleged COVID-19 quarantined escapee from Togo.
According to the agitating residents, the man from Togo arrived in the community to settle in a House but upon further interrogation, it came to light that he was put under quarantine for COVID-19 but managed to escape.
The Assembly Member for Sempoamiensa Electoral Alexander Opoku Twum told mybrytfmonline.com on Saturday that, he was only informed about the situation yesterday but luckily some health workers with the COVID-19 Emergency Response Management Team were in the community to embark on an exercise hence were informed therefore expecting to zero in on the alleged escapee today for further investigation and testing should the need be.
The number of persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Eastern Region has risen to 28 as of April 10, 2020.
All confirmed cases were recorded among 244 quarantined workers of AFCON Construction Company at Kpong in Lower Manya Krobo working on Tema to Akosombo railway project.
The cases are expected to increase as more results are yet to be released.
The Eastern Regional Health Directorate on April 9, 2020, announced that it had submitted a total of 373 samples of suspected Coronavirus cases in the region to Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research awaiting results.
Out of the number, 244 samples were taken from contacts connected to Indian expatriate tested positive for COVID-19 on March 31, 2020, at the railway camp in Kpong.
Three are also persons who had contact with a person tested Positive in the Upper East Region.
Break down of some suspected cases from other municipalities in which samples have been taken to Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research are New Juaben south Municipality (2), Nsawam Adoagyiri (1), Ayensuano District(1) and Atiwa West Municipality (10).
The Eastern Regional Health Directorate is however not happy over the high level of stigmatization in the region hence “appealing to all citizens to desist from stigmatizing (name-calling, branding, finger-pointing) those thought to be infected by COVID-19 such as returnees, contacts of confirmed cases, foreigners or various ethnic groups thought to be infected with COVID -19”.
According to the Regional Health Directorate, “this behavior is counterproductive and unfair. We can only fight COVID-19 when we are united”.
The National Figures of COVID-19 in Ghana currently stand at 378 with six deaths.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
