Volta region has UK strain of the Coronavirus - Dr Djokoto

Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, Deputy Volta Regional Director of Ghana Health Service, in-charge of Public Health, has disclosed that the region has recorded the United Kingdom (UK) COVID-19 variant.

He said this was known after genetic sequencing of the variant performed by researchers at the University of Health and Allied Sciences coronavirus testing centre in Ho.

Dr Djokoto, speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the transmissibility of the UK strain was high, resulting in an increasing number of cases in the Region.

The Deputy Director said the region, as of February 28, recorded a total of 321 active cases with 20 deaths and 1,551 recoveries, bringing the cumulative case count to 1,887.

He said some schools in the region had recorded the virus, however, the affected students, including three primary pupils, were doing well.

Touching on the vaccine, Dr Djokoto said the vaccine had been tested and proven to be safe and effective against the COVID-19.

He said Ho Municipal topped the chart of cases in the region followed by Ketu North and Hohoe, recording 56 and 44 cases, respectively.

Dr Djokoto urged the populace to ignore the misinformation that the vaccine was produced to wipe out Africans, adding it was just like other vaccines that the country received from the outside world to treat other diseases.

He said the vaccine would not render people who took it infertile or alter their DNA as was being peddled by conspiracy theorists.