The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye, has disclosed that even though there was a decline in Covid-19 cases in the country, the Greater Accra Region was still accounting for a high proportion reported nationally, while international arrivals were very low.
Speaking at a news conference organised by the Ministry of Information yesterday, Dr. Patrick K. Aboagye affirmed that the Western North, North East, Savannah and Upper West regions had no active cases.
Also, the country had recorded 6,198 cases between 1st June to date, with 12 deaths over the same period.
According to statistics from the GHS, since March 2020 to July 2022, out of 2,488,068 tests conducted, the country had recorded total confirmed cases of 167,959, with 166,116 recoveries, 1,457 deaths, 336 active cases, and 1 severe case.
“We also administered vaccine doses of 15,496,852 in May, 17,409,005 in March, 18,396,070 in July,” he stated.
At the same event, the Director General of the GHS reiterated that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had designated monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and Ghana had confirmed 34 cases, the bulk of which were male.
“The last confirmed case in the country was on the 15th July 2022, with ages ranging from 9 months to 45 years, and no fatality recorded among the cases.” Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye confirmed.
However, he added that there had been recorded in six regions (Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, and Eastern) with more than 50% of cases in the Greater Accra Region.
Addressing the media briefly on the Marburg Virus Disease, he stated that “the Service, on 26th June 2022, identified a suspected case of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever whose date of onset was 22 June 2022.”
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), he indicated, confirmed Marburg Virus Disease on 7th July 2022 with results subsequently corroborated by Institute Pasteur in Dakar (IPD) on 15th July 2022.
This, he added that the 2nd case from NMIMR is yet to be corroborated by IPD where further investigation is being conducted.
Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye stated that there is the need for implementation of several interventions with focus on three regions; Ashanti, Savannah and Western where a cumulative list of 118 contacts in 3 districts in the 3 regions were identified.
The Ashanti had 50 contacts; Savannah 48 and Western 20 where 19 of the contacts were HCWs; 99 were close family members or household/community contacts. He has in this regard confirmed that all contacts have completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up as of the 21st of July 2022.
After the incubated period, it was reported that one close contact reported symptoms, Tested positive together with his close contact (yet to be corroborated by IPD) but died on 21st July, 2022.
Currently, the GHS have reported that 40 additional contacts have been identified in the Savannah Region and are being followed up, 11 of the 40 contacts are Health Care Workers.
Public Health Actions
The GHS has taken into consideration the constitution of a Rapid Response Team (GHS and Partners) to support the regional and district response teams for detailed investigations, review clinical records and sensitisation of clinical staff.
Also support with contact tracing and follow-up and provision of more PPEs and other logistics by GHS/MOH and Partners.
“Development of training tools and education materials, training of on community based surveillance for volunteers and supervisors ,total of 60 CBSV, 12 CHOs (as supervisors) and 8 other staff (as coordinators) trained, Additional training ongoing and development of National Response Plan.” he mentioned
Dr. concluded saying, Ghana’s Public Health system is strained with several public health emergencies adding that the risk of widespread Monkeypox cases exists but does not pose a major threat and also the threat of Marburg virus disease spread exists but low.
It is in noted he said that adherence to protocols and infection prevention and control strategies remain crucial as surveillance activities continue to be strengthened for early detection and adequate containment.
