Ghana has recorded no death for the first time in weeks despite the recent upsurge in coronavirus, health officials announced on Thursday.
The country’s active cases now stand at 7,572 after 476 new coronavirus cases were confirmed at the laboratories.
As at 16 February 2021, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) reports that the country’s total confirmed cases increased to 79,165 out of which 71,025 have recovered.
So far, 89 persons are in severe condition while 29 remain critical, according to GHS. Cases detected at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) are 1,192 with 1,010 recoveries.
Breakdown of regional cases:
Greater Accra Region – 45,765
Ashanti Region – 13,901
Western Region – 4,668
Eastern Region – 3,508
Central Region – 2,749
Volta Region – 1,480
Bono East Region – 1,035
Upper East Region – 927
Northern Region – 901
Bono Region – 886
Western North Region – 773
Ahafo Region – 645
Upper West Region – 339
Oti Region – 263
Savannah Region – 72
North East Region – 61
Safe Vaccine
Government has assured that the COVID-19 vaccines arriving in the country are safe as it targets to vaccinate some 20 million Ghanaians.
Officially announcing a roll out plan for the vaccines at a stakeholder engagement forum on Friday 19 February 2021, minister of information-designate Kojo Oppong Nkrumah explained that discussions have been ongoing with industry experts to settle on comprehensive roll out plan for the vaccines.
“As you have followed in recent weeks during the president’s addresses, Ghana is been working on a vaccination roll out programme and has been working to determine which vaccines, when, what quantities, what are the segments of the population, what are the cost to countries who receive the vaccines among others. Today, we are in a position where we can formally inform the nation of where we are on this journey,” Nkrumah noted.
He acknowledged that the engagement was important particularly to help cure the long held misconception by some sections of the public that the vaccines are harmful and should not be administered.
Nkrumah said it is important to take inputs from stakeholders in order to demystify this long held misconception and to further engage them on the roll out of the vaccines hence the need for the forum.
Fred Dzakpata
