COVID-19: Omicron not detected in Ghana – GHS

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says the country has not recorded any case of the COVID-19 new variant, Omicron.

This follows the detection of the new variant of COVID-19 in South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Speaking at a Press Conference in Accra on Sunday, 28 November 2021, Director General of the GHS Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye urged Ghanaians to continue observing the COVID-19 safety protocols although there has been no evidence that Omicron is transmitted through any new means.

He further assured that the government together with other stakeholders will ensure that the enforcement of the safety protocols are tightened to forestall any possibility of an upsurge in cases across the country.

Dr Kuma-Aboagye also noted that samples of persons taking the COVID-19 test are taken for sequencing.

He stated: “Omicron: we have not identified one [case] in Ghana. All people who have tested positive at the airport are sequenced, their samples are sequenced. We also pick samples from our reference labs across the country to do sequencing.

“Currently, they have a bunch of about 160 which they’re working on now, but there’s been no indication of Omnicron in Ghana. So all those messages flying around, it’s not true. There’s no case in Ghana.”

Meanwhile, the government has declared the month of December as a month of vaccination against COVID-19.

The December vaccination is, to ensure a prevention of a fourth wave of COVID-19.

It will target specific venues and groups.

Thus, persons who are not vaccinated will be denied entry into places such as sports stadiums, restaurants, beaches among others.

Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye noted that: “We are declaring December as a month of vaccination and it will be launched by the Minister on Tuesday.

“This mandate will be applicable in January and this mandate will become effective.”

Security personnel, all staff of tertiary and secondary institutions, all commercial drivers and mates, and government workers, arms of government, health workers, are all expected to fall within the group of persons to be vaccinated in December.

--- classfmonline.com