Coronavirus Scare: Noguchi To Present Report Today

Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research says it will by close of day present a detailed report and results for the two suspected cases of coronavirus it received from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Wednesday isolated two nationals; a Chinese and an Argentine for showing signs of the coronavirus which has already claimed over 500 lives and infected more than 25,000 people.

Head of Virology Department of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for the Medical Research University of Ghana, Wiliam Ampofo told Citi News respiratory samples from the two nationals are currently undergoing some tests at the Institute.

He said the results of the tests will subsequently be given to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

“There are some respiratory samples from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital which we are currently processing. Some samples came last night and some samples came this morning. Since the sample came last night, and some came this morning, we are doing our best to fast track this so as soon as the results are ready we will move them back to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.”

Global emergency

The coronavirus has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO) after the outbreak was discovered in China.

The first coronavirus case was first reported from Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019.

In China alone, there are now more than 20,000 cases of the virus, with the death toll at over 400.

Outside China, there are more than 150 confirmed cases of the coronavirus with one death in the Philippines.

Various countries have imposed travel restrictions to a varying degree like Singapore, US and Australia which are denying entry to all foreign visitors who have recently been to China.

Some countries are denying entry to foreigners travelling from mainland China whilst others are denying entry to foreigners who have visited Hubei province over the coronavirus fears.

The WHO declares a Public Health Emergency of International Concern when there is “an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease.”

It had previously declared five global public health emergencies: the Swine flu in 2009, Polio in 2014, Zika in 2016 and Ebola, 2014 and 2019.

Minority Leader calls for allocation of more funds

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu on Wednesday called for the allocation of more funds to Ghana's mission in China in the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus to support emergency efforts.

In a statement to Parliament, a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Habib Tijani had indicated that the equivalent of US$ 4,200 had been made available to the mission while government discusses the possibility of evacuating Ghanaians in that country.

But Haruna Iddrisu on the Floor of Parliament retorted that at least “a $100,000 emergency fund must be able to support the Ghanaian authorities in China. To come and say $4,200 [is not enough] Mr. Speaker.”

Ghanaian students stranded

Meanwhile, the China chapter of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has called on the government to evacuate all Ghanaian students in China.

The Union expressed fears over the wellbeing of Ghanaian students in the country.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, reopening dates for most universities in China have been postponed indefinitely, leaving international students stranded.

Several countries including the United States of America and Australia have evacuated their citizens from China.

Kenya also plans to repatriate its 85 students who are stranded in China's Wuhan city, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.