Danger looms as coronavirus patient escapes from quarantine facility

The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, has confirmed that a coronavirus patient who was under quarantine in his region has fled the facility, leaving medical and government officials worried over the safety of people who may come into contact with the said patient.

The patient is said to be one of the 10 Guineans who were arrested and kept under quarantine in Tamale when they attempted to enter into the country illegally after the closure of the country’s borders.

According to the minister, the patient, whose name has been withheld scaled over a wall leaving behind her belongings on Monday.

He added that security personnel are on a manhunt for the patient.

“Since yesterday, up till this morning, I have not slept with my security people,” Mr. Saeed told the media.

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that the said patient has been found in a community near Kumbungu.

Local media reports even suggest that the patient was arrested by community members and have so far informed the police. But authorities are yet to confirm the new development.

It will be recalled that last Sunday, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) confirmed that the 10 Guineans who were arrested under on the directions of the Regional Security Committee of the Northern Region for illegally trying to enter Ghana through Burkina Faso and Togo had tested positive for Coronavirus.

According to the GHS, they were put under mandatory quarantine in Tamale and were all later confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19 after tests were carried out.

"They travelled through Burkina Faso and Togo to Ghana and were picked up following an intelligence report,” the GHS said on their COVID-19 website.

The Ghana Health Service says Ghana has recorded 152 confirmed cases of coronavirus with the death toll at 5.