Coronavirus: Asymptomatic cases cause of surge in recoveries – Biostatistician

Biostatistician, Dr. Duah Dwomoh, says the recovery of persons who had contacted covid-19 and are in critical condition will determine how effective Ghana’s Coronavirus case management is.

Ghana appears to be doing well in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic following a surge in the number of patients recovering from the disease.

The country has recorded a total of 2,097 recoveries as at 26th May 2020.

But speaking to Ekourba Gyasi on Atinka FM’s AM Drive, Biostatistician Dr. Duah Dwomoh said these asymptomatic cases would have recovered on their own even if they had not been admitted in quarantine centers.

According to him, Ghana can only measure the effectiveness of its covid-19 case management only when persons in critical conditions recover and not when there is a surge due to asymptomatic cases recoveries.

He added that those recovering usually have or show no symptoms of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Knowing the number of people who have recovered out of their critical conditions is essential to determine effective Ghana’s covid-19 case management is and not a mere shoot up of the recoveries which are obviously as a result of asymptomatic cases,” he said.

Asked if it will be appropriate for Ghana to ease the restrictions on public gathering based on the recovery rates, Dr. Duah Dwomoh said the country needs a daily distribution of cases, the intensity of media coverage and other relevant information.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Badu Sarkodie, has called on the general public to be each other’s keeper and protect the vulnerable, especially the aged from contracting the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking at the Covid-19 updates press conference at the Ministry of Information, Dr Badu Sarkodie explained that although it is not everyone that gets infected when exposed to the virus, it would be prudent on the part of Ghanaians to protect the aged who stand the risk of being infected.