COVID-19: IGP Withdraws Leaked Lockdown Plan
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has withdrawn an order for the development of a deployment strategy of the lockdown of Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Obuasi.
This is according to a police communique sighted by Citi News.
Mar 27, 2020
A/R: Markets Disinfection Well Organized – Minister
A Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Kwasi Boateng Adjei says precautionary guidelines have been issued to all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to improve sanitation in the various markets across the country.
According to him, the onset of the rains and the possible outbreak of cholera have set the ministry in motion to integrate the disinfection exercise in the various market s .
Mar 27, 2020
COVID-19: Confirmed Victim Board Bus To Wa
A case of Coronavirus has been confirmed in the Upper West Regional capital, Wa.
The Regional Minister, Hafiz Bin Salih who addressed the media on Friday [March 27, 2020] said the patient is a 42-year-old Ghanaian who visited UK, Spain and returned to Ghana through Egypt.
Mar 27, 2020
Coronavirus: Work Ongoing To Boost Testing Capacity – Oppong Nkrumah
Government is working to improve the country’s testing capacity for the Coronavirus disease.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, assured that the designated health facilities for testing samples for the virus are scaling up their capacity.
Mar 27, 2020
COVID-19: GHS Recalls Staff On Study Leave
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has recalled its staff on approved study leave, following a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
A letter from the GHS, addressed to all Regional and Divisional Directors said this decision has become necessary, given the “increased workloads in the various facilities.”
Mar 27, 2020
Nigeria struggles towards shutdown as virus fears grow
The normally bustling markets have thinned out and the notoriously clogged roads are eerily free: Lagos is lurching towards shutdown as Nigeria tries to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Enforcing strict social distancing rules is proving tough all across the globe -- but in a chaotic megacity in Africa's most populous nation, it represents a mammoth challenge.
Local authorities in the economic hub, where some 20 million souls are packed together tightly together, have stopped short of ordering a total lockdown.
Broad Street, the home of some of Nigeria's biggest corporations, has become almost deserted. By PIUS UTOMI EKPEI (AFP)
Mar 27, 2020
UK's chief medical officer self-isolating
By BBC News
The UK government's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has said he is self-isolating after experiencing symptoms of coronavirus last night.
Prof Whitty has led the UK's medical response and appears in the government's public information films. Known symptoms of the virus include a persistent dry cough and a raised temperature.
It comes after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock both tested positive for the virus, which causes the Covid-19 disease.
Prof Chris Whitty (left) has appeared alongside Boris Johnson at press briefings - Getty Images
Mar 27, 2020
Coronavirus Kills Nollywood Actor
Nollywood actor Matt Alkali, also called Dareng, reportedly died on Tuesday while filming on a movie set in Abuja.
According to Nigerian media reports, he died out of complications resulting from a blood clotting condition, but others are also linking it to COVID-19.
Mar 27, 2020
Coronavirus, The Effects On Ghana’s Hospitality Sector
We are all listening to our Radio and watching our TV stations. Ghanaians who didn't watch the international TV stations are starting to be aware since a few weeks about the Corona Virus.
Ghanaians and foreigners in Ghana watching the international news stations are aware for months already that there is a mysterious new disease in China, later in South Korea, Japan, on a cruise ship and after that in Italy, The USA, UK and finally our first cases arrived in Ghana.
Mar 27, 2020
Covid-19: Hotels Call For Tax Rebate
Hotel operators in the Western Region have called on government to consider giving them tax rebate as the spread of the Coronavirus is having a toll on their operations.
Some Hotels have started laying off casual workers in a bid to sustain their operations due to a huge drop in patronage, with the fear that they may shut down completely “if government does not intervene.”
Akwasi Agyemang
Mar 27, 2020
Let Me Out Before I Catch Coronavirus – R Kelly Begs Judge
R. Kelly ‘s latest pitch to be released pending his trial in Illinois federal court centers on his fear, like most Americans, of coming down with COVID-19.
The disgraced singer’s attorney, Steven Greenberg, filed a motion Thursday in which he refers to coronavirus spreading around the world, and the health risks he believes he’s facing while penned up in Chicago MCC. “No matter what steps they take the sanitation will be substandard, the risk of an internal pandemic at the MCC is great.”
Kelly says social-distancing is near impossible in the jail, soap is only available to inmates who can afford to buy it from the commissary and don’t mention hand sanitizer. He claims there’s just ONE large bottle on the visiting floor but it is labeled, “STAFF ONLY.”
Mar 27, 2020
Coronavirus Alert! Remove Street Child Beggars Now
Up-market areas and among educated Ghanaians, people are in general observing and obeying warnings and taking precautions to avoid spreading the Corona Virus. Some people are wearing face masks, gloves, keeping social distances etc. Supermarkets and pharmacies cope in one way or another and do generally well.
However in the low-end areas and our zongo's life continues and like nobody don’t know what is going on. Schools are closed children and are enjoying the extra “holiday”. Others just don't believe it, or that Corona virus is a punishment of god or simply don't care. People at markets, clients and sellers alike hardly do anything to prevent the virus from spreading.
Mar 27, 2020
COVID-19: Remain At Post — Ministry To NSS Nurses, Midwives
The Ministry of Health has ordered all nurses and midwives currently undergoing National Service to remain at post until the end of their service.
Though the National Service Secretariat (NSS) earlier directed all Service Personnel to take a mandatory paid leave, the Ministry in a statement said nurses and midwives were exempt because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Mar 27, 2020
COVID-19: 3 Physician Assistant Students Urge Public To Take In More Vitamin D
As Coronavirus infection has been described as a respiratory disorder presenting with symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, fever, cough, and shortness of breath, three physician assistant students from Presbyterian University College Agogo have said that taking in a lot of vitamin D products could reduce one’s chance of contracting the COVID-19.
Vitamin D is said to have a tremendous impact on respiratory health through its effects on lung development and structure, respiratory muscle strength, inflammation and immune response to respiratory pathogens. Since the causative agent for this Coronavirus infection is a respiratory pathogen and presents with systems suggestive of a respiratory anomaly, taking vitamin D products such as orange juice, soy milk, cereals, fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon, beef liver and egg yolks will increase one’s immune ability to resist the C0VID 19 infectious disease.
Mar 27, 2020
Lockdown Or No Lockdown: Akufo-Addo To Address Nation Today
The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has told Parliament that President Akufo-Addo will be addressing the nation today over issues surrounding the coronavirus outbreak.
There have been calls by groups including the Ghana Medical Association, to lock down the country to avoid the spread of the deadly virus.
Accra100.5FM’s parliamentary correspondent, Richard Appiah Sarpong reported that Minister of Parliamentary Affairs made the revelation while reading a business statement on the floor of the House.
Mar 27, 2020
COVID-19: Don't Stamped Akufo-Addo To Shutdown – Otabil
Pastor Mensa Otabil has said Ghanaians should not “stampede” the government into making one decision or the other with regard to a lockdown.
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) and others have called for a lockdown just as many countries in Europe, Asia, America and Rwanda have done, to fight the pandemic.
The Ghanaian government has, however, not made any moves to lock down the country but says all options to help prevent the spread of the virus are on the table.
Mar 27, 2020
COVID-19: This Is The Time Most Presidents Wish They Were Not President – Otabil
Pastor Mensa Otabil has said Presidents of any country will wish they were not President in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
This follows the numerous pressure on the President to lock down the country.
On the back of these and more, Pastor Otabil says it is a difficult time to be a world leader.
Mar 27, 2020
Mauritius' police investigated for torture while enforcing Covid-19 lockdown
The Prime minister of Mauritius has announced an investigation into alleged cases of police brutality while the island remains under total lockdown to contain the rapid spread of Covid-19. This comes after two men, apprehended by the police, were subsequently hospitalised..
Pravind Jugnauth, the Prime minister of Mauritius said that "sanctions" will be taken against certain elements within the police force who are responsible for brutality towards the population.
The Mauritian deputy commissioner of police, Krishna Jhugroo, had earlier said that there would be complete transparency and no cover up in an ongoing investigation into recent acts of alleged police brutality as appeared in video footage widely circulating across the island.
© ION News
Mar 27, 2020
UK PM Boris Johnson in self-isolation after testing positive for coronavirus
British Prime Minister has confirmed that he is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence after testing positive for the coronavirus. Boris Johnson said he would continue to lead the government's response to the accelerating outbreak, and urged all Britons to respect the lockdown conditions to combat the spread of Covid-19.
Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday - a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber.
"I've taken a test. That has come out positive," Johnson said on Friday in a video statement broadcast on Twitter. "I've developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That's to say – a temperature and a persistent cough.
10 Downing Street/AFP
Mar 27, 2020
COVID-19: Shut Down Public Transport — Pastor Otabil
Pastor Mensa Otabil, the General Overseer of ICGC, advocates for the suspension of public transport in the country since it is one of the means of spreading the coronavirus.
Speaking in a live Facebook session, the founder and leader of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) noted that: “The manifestation of the pandemic in Ghana may not be the same as Great Britain, the incidence may not be the same. I think the best thing for our political leaders is to have the most objective sources of information and balance between the needs of the people and the reality of what should be done.
“Different countries have used different models to resolve this. Some did very draconian lockdowns and it worked for them, others did massive testing and it worked for them and different people have approached it differently…