Coronavirus: Ghana's death toll hits 58, case count skyrockets to 12,193

Ghana has recorded 229 new cases of Coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases to 12,193, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced.

According to Dr. Patrick Kumah-Aboagye, Director-General of GHS, the cases were recorded in nine regions. The Ashanti Region, he said, confirmed the most number of new cases.

At a press briefing, Tuesday, June 16, Dr. Aboagye said 70 cases were from the Ashanti Region while 42 were confirmed in the Central Region. Savanna Region on the other hand recorded 34 cases.

The country has also recorded 68 new recoveries, bringing the recoveries tally to 4,326. The death toll has also seen a rise. It now stands at 58 after 4 more persons with the virus died.

This brings the total number of active cases to 7,813.

Students will become super-spreaders soon – OccupyGhana warns

Pressure group, OccupyGhana, has said Ghana is likely to lose the ‘strength in racing with the COVID-19 virus’ following the reopening of schools.

It argued in a statement that this could be the worst decision in the fight against the novel coronavirus warning “If we are not careful, these schools could turn into hotspots for disease transmission and the students could become super-spreaders.”

The group also noted that "There is cause to suspect that the death numbers are being massaged" while stressing that some persons who were discharged have tested positive again.

“Hospitals are getting overwhelmed with spillovers of designated areas for suspected and confirmed cases into emergency rooms and wards otherwise not assigned.

“[There] is a desperate attempt to shorten hospital stay and increase availability of bed space by discharging patients before the post-treatment test results.

“The unfortunate occurrence, which has led to some being discharged with their repeat tests coming back positive after their discharge. This is disheartening and should not be allowed as we seek to fight this pandemic with professionalism and integrity” the pressure group stated.