Ghana's coronavirus case count sharply rises to 566

Ghana’s COVID-19 case count has risen to 566. This comes after the Ghana Health Service confirmed 158 new cases.

Volta and Western regions have recorded cases; bringing the number of regions with infections to ten (10).

Before this development, regions that had reported cases were Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Northern, North East, Upper East, and Upper West.

"The breakdown of the 566 positive cases are as follows: four (4) have been treated, discharged and tested negative, 552 cases have been categorised as mild disease on treatment, two (2) moderate to severe cases, none currently on ventilators and eight (8) have died,” the Ghana Health Service stated Sunday evening.

“Of the 566 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 292 were reported from the routine surveillance, 159 from enhanced surveillance activities and 115 from travellers under mandatory quarantine in both Accra and Tamale," it added.

The GHS further disclosed that 66.6% of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ghana had no history of travel while 33.4% had some history of travel. Also, 42% are females while 48% are males.

The Greater Accra remains Ghana’s epicentre of the outbreak with 452 cases.

Lockdown extended, borders remain closed

In his 6th televised address on the country's fight against the pandemic, President Akufo-Addo extended the restrictions on movements in Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Tema and Kasoa by one more week.

A 14-day restriction on movement had been placed on the aforementioned areas because significant numbers of virus infections had been recorded there.

The lockdown, according to the president, is to limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain its spread; provide adequate care for the sick; limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life; and inspire the expansion of our domestic capability and deepen our self-reliance.

While praising the populace for adhering to the protocols and asking for continued patience, he announced an extension on the basis that the country was not yet out of the woods.

"Clearly, until we have the situation fully under control, we cannot, at this time, open our borders. They will have to remain shut until further notice," he said.

"Further, the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi has facilitated a more aggressive programme of enhanced contact tracing, with a total of four hundred and fifty (450) teams... So, the decision has been taken, through the issuance of an Executive Instrument, to extend the restrictions on movement in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and Kasoa and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and its contiguous districts by one more week, beginning 1am on Monday, 13th April, subject to review," he added.

Meanwhile the president on Sunday extended the initial one-month ban on public and social gatherings by an additional two weeks, effective April 13.

The extension became operational after he signed the Executive Instrument (EI) to give effect to the new directive.