With 73 new cases reported early on Tuesday, Ghana’s confirmed COVID-19 total cases stand at 287, with five deaths.
There are 155 patients responding to treatment, while 49 had been discharged and being managed at home. Three persons have, however, fully recovered.
Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Health Minister, giving an update of the COVID-19 case management situation, in Accra, on Tuesday, clarified that the Greater Accra Region, the epicentre, has 256 cases and not 258, as earlier posted on the Ghana Health Service’s portal.
The Ashanti Region has 18, Northern Region – 10; while the Eastern, Upper West and Upper East regions have one each.
There are 172 confirmed cases from the Routine Surveillance system; and 115 confirmed from the mandatory quarantine system.
Mr Agyeman-Manu explained that 7,461 samples had been tested out of the total 15,000 samples taken from the contacts of persons who had tested positive to the respiratory virus.
Fourteen of them were positive.
The Government, he said, had made available 15 Aayololo buses to convey nurses in the lockdown areas-Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi – to routes, especially leading to hospitals and polyclinics.
He appealed to the nurses to respect the social distance protocol on buses and wait patiently for their turns to avoid overcrowding.
On the tax reliefs for frontline health workers, Mr Agyeman-Manu said the Government was still working on the modalities and would issue directives in due course for the benefit of both private and public sector workers.
On the bonus for frontline health workers announced by the President, he said it would be worked out such that all deserving workers received their due.
The President, in his April 5 national broadcast, announced that all health workers would be exempted from paying taxes on their personal emoluments for the next three months, effective April 2020.
Additionally, health workers deployed in the frontline fight against COVID-19 would receive a bonus of 50 per cent of their monthly salaries for four months – effective March 2020.
The Health Minister asked for cooperation and patience from the stakeholders to ensure the smooth implementation of the incentives.
He announced that the Government had selected five local companies to produce 3.6 million face masks, with 15,000 being supplied daily.
This, he said, would increase the availability of the preventive device for safety, especially for health workers.
He entreated Ghanaians to continue observing the safety and hygiene protocols – ensuring frequent washing of hands with soap under running water; covering one’s mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing with disposable tissues; using alcohol-based hand sanitizers; avoiding contact with wild animals and maintaining social distance of at least two metres.
All the government’s measures and interventions, the President has explained, were intended to achieve five strategic objectives: Limit and stop the importation of the virus; detect and contain the spread of the virus; enhance contact tracing and testing of the virus; care for the sick; minimize the impact on economic and social lives and boost domestic capability and deepen national self-reliance.
GNA
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