Coronavirus: Viral picture of on the run Guinean patient not her – Northern Regional Health Director

Correspondence from Northern Region:

A viral picture purported to be that of a Guinean national who escaped from an isolation centre in the Northern Region is not that of the real person.

This is according to the Northern Regional Health Director, Dr. John Bertson Aleeza.

According to Dr Bertson, even though the lady in the viral picture is one of the ten (10) foreign nationals consisting of Guineans and Burkinabaes who were arrested and tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamale, she is not the one who escaped from quarantine.

He made this known while addressing a press conference to inform the media about the status of the patients whose cases are currently being managed in isolation. He revealed that six out of the ten cases have tested negative of the virus.

He explained that initial tests results have shown that 4 out of the 7 Guineans at hand and 2 of the Burkinabaes have tested negative after haven gone through treatment and still awaiting their second test result which will determine their full recovery.

According to Dr. John Bertson Aleeza “the northern region has so far tested a total of 155 cases as a region, 83 of which fall under suspected cases and then 72 of which are contacts." He said.

Dr. John Bertson Aleeza disclosed that the most amazing thing is that, a woman who is reported to have kidney issues and had come into contact with some nurses from the Tamale Teaching Hospital is one of the persons who have tested negative in the first run.



He further stated that should the second test results come out negative, the six(6) of them will be deem fully recovered and therefore be discharged.

He went forward to discredit the picture in circulation on social media purporting to be the identity of the Guinean lady who escaped from isolation and has since not found, adding that, the said lady in the picture is with the colleagues in isolation and therefore not the escapee.

The Northern Regional GJA chairman, Mr. Yakubu Abdul-Majid who was present at the press conference registered his displeasure on the attitude of the regional authorities and the health directorate for making information accessibility tedious for journalists and also pleaded with them to make it accessible when needed.

Hon. Salifu Sa-eed who is the Northern Regional Minister has asserted that the plans to repatriate the foreigners still hold and that they will be returned to their home countries as soon as they recover from the sickness.

He also thanked the journalists in the region for their unwavering commitment and support towards the COVID 19 fight and urged them to continue the good work.