Ghana records first coronavirus death

One of the 19 persons infected with the novel coronavirus in Ghana has died. Deputy Health Minister, Alex K. Abban confirmed the fatality in an interview on TV3 Saturday evening.

The deceased, a 61-year-old Lebanese, was a Kumasi-based trader. He died at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Ashanti regional capital.

He was confirmed as a carrier of the virus on March 19, 2020.

“He felt unwell and reported to a health facility with fever (temp 39.4 ℃), and cough. The sample tested positive for COVID-19,” an update by the Ghana Health Service said.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service Saturday morning , debunked reports that eight of the Covid-19 patients had recovered.

Speaking on Newsfile on JoyNews, Dr. Patrick Aboagye said “I don’t know where that is coming from.”

He said the health officials are still monitoring the patients.

“What we do is that about three to seven days when your clinical signs are over, we will do a test, if it is negative then you’re out of the woods.

“If we test you again and it’s still positive we keep you for more days. So currently, we have not certified anybody as recovered,” Dr. Aboagye said.

“Even the first case has not gone through the 14 days,” he told Samson Lardy Anyenini, host of the show.
But Dr. Aboagye was quick to add that the patients are stable, with many having mild symptoms.