Ghana’s hospitalization and death rates remain consistently low - President Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, said Ghana’s hospitalization and death rates from COVID-19, have consistently been very low, with a higher per centage of recoveries.

According to him, the rate of virus-related deaths had remained persistently low at 0.5 per cent of confirmed cases, and said it was just by the grace of God and the measures taken by the Government, with the support of Ghanaians, that had produced such results.

President Akufo-Addo stated that at first glance, it seemed alarming to see that 32,969 people had so far contracted the virus “but a closer look at the data would tell you that we are steadily on the path towards limiting and containing the virus, and, ultimately, defeating it”.

President Akufo-Addo who made his 14th national appearance with updates on the nation’s enhanced COVID-19 response in Accra, however said the figure to look out for was the number of active cases, which as of midnight, July 24, 2020, stood at 3,307 positives, lower than the 4,245 recorded nearly a month later, on June 27, 2020.

Again, a month ago, the number of recoveries stood at 12,994, but today, it is 29,494, saying, the data showed that the country’s recovery rate had improved from 75 per cent of positives, a month ago to 89.5 per cent.

The President said the country’s hospitalization and death rates had consistently, being one of the lowest in Africa and in the world.

“The Ghanaian people, mercifully, are not dying of the virus in the hundreds and thousands that were earlier anticipated and predicted, and what are being seen on a daily basis in some other countries, "he said.

He said the behavior of the coronavirus had baffled the experts and defied most predictions, but five months on, it could be said that the country was witnessing a much milder manifestation of the virus, than was initially feared.

He said the successes chalked was also due to the immense dedication and hard work by healthcare workers.

President Akufo-Addo asked Ghanaians to respect the enhanced hygiene, mask wearing and social distancing protocols.

“We dare not ruin the successes we have chalked over this period,” he said, and urged the public to reject all forms of fake news deliberately put out by some irresponsible persons to misinform, escalate mistrust and heighten, unnecessarily, the anxiety levels over the disease in the county, "he said.

He spoke against stigma, saying there was no need to engage in such anti-social behaviours, since it led people into hiding rather than reporting for treatment.