COVID-19 cases drop substantially in Eastern Region

Dr. John E. Otoo, the Eastern Regional Deputy Director of Public Health of the Ghana Health Service, says the region recorded fewer COVID-19 cases last year than in 2022.

He noted that in 2022, a total of 950 positive cases of coronavirus were recorded, but only 97 cases were recorded in 2023.

Dr. Otoo told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on the state of COVID-19 in the region that a total of 7,759 cases have been logged in the region since the virus outbreak in the country in 2020.

He explained that the highest cases of COVID-19 were logged in 2021 with 4,046, followed by 2020 with 2,664, 2022 with 950, and 2023 with 97 positive cases.

He revealed that as of January 18, 2024, 155 people had lost their lives to COVID-19, representing a two per cent fatality rate.

Dr. Otoo noted that the remaining 98 percent of the positive cases logged in the region were successfully treated and discharged.

Despite the drop in the positive cases recorded in the region last year, he advised citizens to uphold the COVID-19 safety protocol and visit the hospital whenever they felt sick to be attended to.

“The virus is here to stay. We cannot pretend it is not there. The cough etiquette must be observed all the time and persons who fall sick must immediately visit the hospital for clinicians to take care of them,” he advised

“We are also encouraging all to take the vaccine. By so doing, we will build hard immunity, and all will be protected.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 and was detected in Ghana on March 12, 2020, in two persons.