Coronavirus is not a ’death sentence', people have fully recovered - Oppong Nkrumah

Coronavirus is not a "death sentence", Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has sought to demystify misconceptions about the virus.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Thursday, April 16, 2020, Hon. Oppong Nkrumah feared that the stigma and misconceptions associated with the COVID-19 by some Ghanaians could have dire consequences on the efforts by government to curtail the transmission of the virus from individuals and at the community level.

Ghana's COVID-19 case count currently stands at 641 out of 50,719 samples collected and tested for coronavirus (COVID-19).

This is part of government's enhanced measures aimed at fighting the novel COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The threat of Coronavirus, otherwise called COVID-19, has instilled fear in people and as a result victims of the virus infection are sometimes looked down on by some suspcious Ghanaians.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah explained that the virus can be treated by health professionals as eighty-three (83) people have already fully recovered and been discharged from the various health facilities to join their families, and 17 more have also tested negative on first testing and awaiting their second test to ensure they also have fully recovered.

He was worried that the morbid fear associated with the virus may potentially result in people with infections or exposed through contact with infected persons going into hiding.

In an attempt to allay the fears, the Information Minister stated emphatically that "this disease is not a death sentence. Unfortunately, we have had eight (8) persons who had underlying conditions who have passed on but it's not a death sentence. People can be assisted with treatment and can recover".