Covid-19: Gov't announces tough measures at KIA to tackle pandemic
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced strict measures to be implemented at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
Addressing the nation on Sunday January 3, Mr Akufo-Addo explained that as of 1st January 2021, a total of seven hundred and twelve (712) positive cases, out of one hundred and eighteen thousand, two hundred and seventy-eight (118,278) tests conducted, have been recorded among international arrivals at the KIA.
Indeed, he said, the month of December alone recorded three hundred and eighty-seven (387) cases.
The positivity rate among international arrivals rose from 0.26% in September to 0.93% in December, the president revealed.
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"These developments call for strengthening of the existing protocols to prevent the spread of the disease in Ghana, in light of the new variant of the virus. Therefore, the following measures will be implemented, in addition to existing guidelines on International Travel for COVID-19, in Ghana: all arriving passengers who test positive for COVID-19, asymptomatic or not, will undergo mandatory isolation and treatment at a designated health facility or isolation centre. The isolation will be for a period of seven (7) days at the cost of Government. However, the final discharge of cases will be based on existing case management guidelines and protocols;
"All passengers who are in isolation will undergo a repeat COVID-19 test within twenty-four (24) hours of arrival, with the cost also borne by Government. This test will also include genomic sequencing for COVID-19; and
"All passengers who test negative for COVID-19 will be required to adhere continuously to COVID-19 safety protocols, and will receive regular information on COVID-19 within five (5) days of arrival in Ghana," he said.
He added "I want to assure all Ghanaians that the testing regime in place at Kotoka is amongst the strictest in the world, and, as certified by the Food and Drugs Authority, it is capable of detecting this new variant of COVID-19, which is plaguing other nations around the world.
"Fellow Ghanaians, in Update No. 20, prior to the Christmas festivities, I made a passionate appeal to you to ensure compliance with the COVID protocols, and reiterated that, amongst others, beaches, pubs, cinemas and nightclubs were to be closed until further notice.
"The Taskforce that advises me on COVID measures is constantly reviewing the situation, and will propose to me when it is safe to lift the restriction."
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana
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