Coronavirus spread: Restrict visits to China – GUTA to traders

In a bid to ensure the fast spreading Novel Coronavirus does not affect Ghana, the Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), has cautioned Ghanaians, especially traders, to avoid travelling to China until calm returns to the Asian country.

He said provided it is not an urgent transaction, it is better for individuals planning to go to China to remain in the country to avoid any possible contraction of the virus.

Nana Poku in an exclusive interview with The New Publisher, said the health alert advice had become necessary following the rise in the death toll of people who had contracted the disease, as well as the measures being taken by authorities in China as they moved to contain and eventually resolve the disease which is spreading on high speed.

“We are appealing to our traders. We have people who move between China and Ghana. If you don’t have any essential business to do in China it’s better you take a holiday. Please save yourself a lot of problems. If you can, suspend your intended travel to China, please do so as a safe precautionary measure.

”However, if it is urgent that you visit China, then adhere to all the safety measures to ensure that you do not fall victim. Also, all Ghanaians in China are encouraged to comply with the directive to stay indoors so they can be safe from contracting the disease which is gradually becoming an epidemic” he said.

Precautionary measures

Nana Poku also said those GUTA members who had to travel to China at all cost should do well to observe all the precautionary measures put in place to avoid direct contact with the virus.

He called on the Ministry of Health to immediately begin sensitising the public to the outbreak and also ensure that the entry points in the country, including the Tema Port were disinfected to prevent the virus from entering the country.

He further said the government had the obligation to ensure that personnel and equipment at these entry points were properly functioning to help screen people and goods entering the country from places where the virus had been detected.

“This is not the first time we have been confronted by such a thing, but like the Bird flu which also caused a lot of scare, if we are able to contain any detection then we can prevent it from entering the country so the government must ensure that screening at the ports was done more effectively in the coming days.” he indicated.

Airport Quarantine

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator for Port Health at the GHS, Dr. Dennis Laryea, said port health officers isolated one traveller who was showing symptoms of the virus at the Kotoka International Airport.

He said the person after going through the screening was kept in isolation for about six hours while tests were conducted. He, however, noted that the tests results showed negative for coronavirus.

Preparedness

The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, said the country had put in place all the necessary measures to prevent the entry of any case of coronavirus into the country.

Already, he said the government had allocated an amount of GH¢2.5 million as start-up towards the implementation of national response plan for the deadly coronavirus.

The Ministry of Health has also initiated the process to procure 1,000 additional pieces of personal protective equipment for use by all frontline workers.

Mr. Agyeman-Manu said surveillance at the borders, especially heavy traffic entry point, had been enhanced, adding that travellers are now required to fill a health declaration form to extract salient information to assess their risk profile.

“Four health facilities have been identified as treatment centres at Tema General Hospital, Ga East Hospital, Ridge Hospital and Police Hospital. Furthermore, all the Teaching and Regional hospitals have potential capacity to treat cases,” he said.

Virus impact

The Chinese authorities have already confirmed that as many as 26 people have died due to coronavirus and the total number of confirmed cases in the country has risen to 900.

So far, five countries — the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and South Korea — have reported confirmed cases of coronavirus following visits to China.