The first coronavirus-related death has been reported in Ghana, confirmed by Deputy Health Minister, Alex K. Abban during an interview on Citi TV on Saturday evening.
Abban revealed that the deceased was a male trader who visited a health facility in Kumasi with symptoms of fever and cough. His status as a carrier of the virus was confirmed on March 19, 2020.
According to the Minister,
“The information I got from the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service is that, that person [the Lebanese man] has died. He died today.”
An update by the Ghana Health Service stated;
“He felt unwell and reported to a health facility with fever (temp 39.4 ℃), and cough. The sample tested positive for COVID-19.”
In a televised address on Saturday March 21, President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the closure of all borders to human traffic to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The closure will not impact goods, supplies, and cargo.
President Nana said;
“All our borders, that is, by land, sea and air, will be closed to human traffic for the next two weeks beginning midnight on Sunday,” he said.
All travellers arriving in the country before midnight on Sunday will be required to undergo mandatory quarantine and COVID-19 testing.
“Anybody who comes into the country before on Sunday will be mandatorily quarantined and tested for the virus.”
Ghana’s index case of coronavirus was announced on March 12. As of March 21, twenty-one cases have been confirmed in the West African country.