'I'm ready to sacrifice my residence as coronavirus isolation centre' - DCE

“If approved by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), I am ready to sacrifice my official residence as an isolation centre, Mr Derrick Owusu Ambrose, the Assin South District Chief Executive (DCE) has assured.

He opined that if that was what it will take to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the District.

He called on all to show greater commitment to the fight against the pandemic as the surest way to drastically reduce the rapid spread of the virus, which was gaining roots in the District.

“We must step up the pace and show the people our unflinching commitment to public welfare and safety and our commitment to make the difference we seek for,” the DCE added.

Mr Ambrose gave the assurance in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Assin-Homaho to confirm four new coronavirus cases bringing the total number of patients in the District to 19.

He stated that the patients who were in their early 30s and 40s have been isolated and contact tracing had begun to curtail the spread of the pandemic.

He indicated that all the Covid-19 patients in the District were asymptomatic and advised all persons who exhibited symptoms of the dreaded disease to, as a matter of urgency, report to the nearest health facility.

Alternatively, due to travel difficulties and telephone connectivity, people could call the national centre for immediate assistance.

The DCE reiterated the Assembly's resolve to ensure strict public adherence to health protocols as it tightened measures and innovate to prevent COVID-19 from invading the District.

The measures include the deployment of teams to various communities to educate the people on the mode of transmission and how to protect themselves against the virus

Mr Ambrose said the Assembly had taken delivery of quantities of hospital beds, gloves, sanitizers, face masks and Veronica buckets to manage the disease.

According to the DCE, who is also a Pharmacist, the virus was transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person through coughing and sneezing and touching contaminated surfaces.

To avoid the risk of infection, the DCE advised the public to wash hands frequently with soap under running water, or alcohol-based hand sanitizers, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing, and throw away the tissue into a closed bin immediately.