A suspected Coronavirus case involving a Ghanaian returnee from Spain, at Berekum in the Bono Region tested negative on Wednesday, March 11 2020.

The suspect was being investigated as she exhibited symptoms feared to be coronavirus infection after returning from Spain where 1700 cases have been recorded with 37 persons dead so far.  However, after subsequent tests on him, the result showed negative.  

The Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Kofi Issah disclosed this speaking in a radio interview with Accra-based Citi FM.

“The health staff had been taught to check the boxes to see if somebody fits into the case. He had travelled from Spain three days prior to when he presented with the symptoms.

“So once they checked the boxes and he fitted into the case definition of a suspected virus, they then informed the rapid response team”, he said.

He added that the patient was kept in isolation in his own house for 3 days after the sample was taken.

“So the District Rapid Response Team and the National Rapid Response Team met with the patient, took a sample from him and managed to then get him to a place where they could keep him (his house) where he stayed for three days. The results were taken to Accra and Kumasi and the result proved negative after five hours.”

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Ghana is among 13 priority countries in Africa identified as being at high risk of getting the virus because of their established links with China.

Per Ghana’s preparedness plan for an outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the state is operating along the World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols.

The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, briefing Parliament about Ghana's preparedness towards the outbreak asserted that health workers have been trained to provide rapid response to severe respiratory illness of likeness to coronavirus

 “For surveillance, we have inducted and circulated Covid-19 case definitions to regional and lower levels. We have also adopted a Covid-19 investigation form which is currently in use. National rapid response team has been activated. The national-level training for rapid response teams and local health workers on severe respiratory illnesses has been done. Training of regional and district rapid response teams has been planned for execution.”

He spelt out several measures including emergency lines (0552222004, 0552222005, 05094977100, 0558439868 and 0800110555.) for the general public to report suspected cases.

He noted that, alerts have been sent to all regions to update their respective preparedness plans and activate their respective public health management committees.