Oman has banned persons for arrivals from Ghana and nine other countries for the next 15 days as part of measures to control the spread of COVID-19.
According to Reuters news agency, the Gulf State’s coronavirus committee said the move is to curb certain mutated strains of the virus.
The other nine affected countries are: Sudan, Lebanon, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia.
The decision, according to the Gulf State’s coronavirus committee, takes effect from Thursday.
Case update
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has posted five more COVID-19 related deaths pushing Ghana’s toll to 582.
The country’s active cases now stand at 6,812 after 506 new coronavirus cases were confirmed at the laboratories.
As at 19 February 2021, GHS reports that the country’s total confirmed cases increased to 80,759 out of which 73,365 have recovered.
So far, 95 persons are in severe condition while 28 remain critical, according to GHS. Cases detected at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) are 1,208 with 1,032 recoveries.
Breakdown of regional cases:
Greater Accra Region – 46,328
Ashanti Region – 14,142
Western Region – 4,776
Eastern Region – 3,576
Central Region – 2,811
Volta Region – 1,595
Bono East Region – 1,089
Northern Region – 1,058
Upper East Region – 994
Bono Region – 945
Western North Region – 797
Ahafo Region – 660
Upper West Region – 357
Oti Region – 272
North East Region – 79
Savannah Region – 72
Increased education on vaccine
The Akufo-Addo-led administration is rolling out a comprehensive plan to educate the general public more about the COVID-19 vaccines arriving in the country, presidential advisor on health, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare has stated.
Ghana is expecting its first batch of approved COVID-19 vaccines this week.
Speaking in an interview with Kojo Mensah on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (22 February), Dr Asare assured all health workers will be educated on the vaccine this week.
“Only on Friday there was a big launch of the risk communication, and as I speak now people are all over the place communicating and telling people what we are supposed to do,” Dr Asare stated.
“There are all sorts of materials that are out there, we have started the education, if you are in a pandemic there are a lot of things that go on.
“I strongly believe in my heart that by the end of this week almost every health worker will be well educated, all the radio stations, communication centres will be inundated with lots of information, we are going to use influencers as well,” he said.
Fred Dzakpata
Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995 #asaaseradio #TVOL
