COVID-19: 94 Persons Who Came Into Contact With UG Coronavirus Student Test Negative

Test on some 94 students and staff of the University of Ghana who came into contact with a student of the university infected with Coronavirus diseases have all proved negative.

The 94 persons were tested for COVID-19 after they were done with the 14-day isolation period.

82 out of 94 persons were students with the remaining being employees of the University.

A statement from the University also indicated that 74 of the traced students who were already on campus at the time of the case, were asked to self-quarantine on campus to avoid the risk of community spread.

The eight other students had left campus to the house hence, they were cautioned by the University of Ghana Emergency Response Team (UG-ERT), and the National Contact Tracing Team to self-quarantine at home.

“The University of Ghana is pleased to inform members of the university community and the public that all the University's primary contacts (students and staff) of the reported COVID-19 patient from the University have tested negative for the coronavirus after going through the mandatory 14-day period of quarantine,” the university said in a statement.

All the 94 contacts have since been conveyed to their various destinations and receiving the requisite counseling and education on precautionary measures with respect to COVID-19.

“With all the primary contacts (students and staff) testing negative for COVID-19 as certified by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, and with the closure of the University, buses were made available by the University of Ghana to convey students who live in and outside Accra to their various destinations, such as Obuasi, Kumasi, Tamale, Upper West, Cape Coast and Takoradi. They have also received the necessary counselling and education on precautionary measures with respect to COVID-19”, management said.

State of student patient

Three days after the first COVID-19 cases hit Ghana, management of the University of Ghana disclosed that one of its students had tested positive to the virus.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu in an address to the University community on the confirmed case said it “involves one of our non-resident students who returned from an international trip”.

The University suspended lectures following the confirmation and also banned non-residential students from coming to the campus before the official shut down of schools by the President.

But management now says the affected student is in isolation at a National Quarantine facility and making steady progress.

“Meanwhile, the affected student in isolation at a National Quarantine facility is reported to be making steady progress. We pray for her complete recovery to enable her to be discharged soon.”

---citinewsroom