Health workers in the Bongo District of Upper East Region have quarantined a returnee from high risk countries of Covid19.
The suspect is a Ghanaian based in the United Kingdom and recently moved to Dubai and India at the peak of the spread of Covid19 around the globe.
The suspect has currently been isolated under lock and keyed at unknown location pending investigations and results on Covid19.
The young man [name withheld] hails from Zorko, a farming community in the Bongo district and arrived in the country on Saturday 21st March 2020 after moving from his place of residence in the United Kingdom to India and Dubai.
He was then accompanied by a friend [name withheld] from Accra and they both arrived in the village on 25thMarch.
At a Media briefing,District Chief Executive for Bongo, Peter Ayinbisa said a technical surveillance team set up in the district picked up the young man and his friend following a tip off upon his arrival.
Mr. Ayinbisa indicated that though the two suspects have not shown signs of the novel coronavirus, it was important to isolate and take their samples for investigations because of the exposure in high risk countries.
“As I talk to you, the medical team, the technical team, DISEC and for that matter the district have made arrangements and we have put both of them in an isolated place to observe them so see probably if they could exhibit some signs”, he indicated.
Mr. Ayinbisa has however lamented the negative reportage about his district creating fear in the public domain.
“I have read in some other media platforms alleging that two cases have been confirmed in the Bongo district. We want to disabuse the minds of such people who would want to showcase Bongo in a negative manner. Nobody has been tested and confirmed positive in Bongo district. As we talk, we have not recorded a single case of covid 19”, he further refuted.
The DCE while calling for calm among residents, assured that authorities in district were prepared to prevent the transmission of the virus into the district despite some logistical challenges.
The Bongo District Director of Ghana Health Service, Stephen Bordotsiah added that contact tracing was underway.
Mr.Bordotsiah explained that with the exception of a Burkinabe’ who was onboard the tricycle and cannot be traced at the moment, the rider of the tricycle and the passengers are under isolation pending further investigations.
Family members of the returnee have also been educated on the virus and asked to isolate themselves. The contact tracing, he said will be extended to the O.A bus they joined from Accra to the region.
Meanwhile,Dr. William Gudu, the Medical Superintendent of the Bongo district hospital gave a firm assurance that two clients have been kept in a comfortable place in a self-contained facility in the district and monitored by health experts.
“We have safely kept them inside there and give them 3 square meals. They are in an enclosed room with every facility. The health team uses a cell phone and communicate with them. Take a good history as to whether they have seen any changes in them. After confirming all is negative, the individual who is entering there, dress fully in a PPE and enters” he said
Dr. Gudu noted the two clients will still be kept in isolation for 14 days before they are allowed back to the society even if the test sent to KNUST proves negative.
Source:A1radioonline.com|101.1MHZ|Ghana
