Virologist calls for immediate lockdown of Obuasi

Virologist Dr Sebastian Eugene Arthur has suggested to the government to place restrictions on movement of persons within the Obuasi township in the Ashanti Region.

This follows the increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in that part of the country.

Dr Arthur told Alfred Ocansey on the Sunrise morning show on 3FM Wednesday, May 13 that this will help in slowing down the rate of infection in the area.

Obuasi recorded an alarming jump in Covid-19 cases with 272 new infections, the reason for the high numbers in the Ashanti Region, which has so far recorded 667 cases.

The Ghana Health Service said a team of 40 contact tracers has been deployed in Obuasi to mop up the cases and isolate persons who test positive.

But Dr Arthur said to enable the contact tracers discharge an effective work, Obausi should be locked down for a week.

“Lockdown Obuasi to do effective contact tracing and a quick contact tracing,” he said, adding that “this will slow down the spread not to stop it.”

He added: “We were able to slow down the spread a bit when Accra and Kumasi were locked down. We should have been recording 10,000 cases by now if we hadn’t locked down.

“So Obuasi should be locked down for a week for effective contact tracing exercise to be done.”