The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has ordered the immediate closure of all beaches across Ghana as part of measures to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This, according to the GTA is part of measures to avoid the spread of the COVID-19. >>>GET CORONAVIRUS UPDATES HERE <<< A statement issued by GTA said with the support of the National Security and the Ghana Police Service, it would be patrolling all the beaches from Tuesday, March 24, 2020, to ensure compliance. “The GTA hereby orders all beaches to be closed to the public until further notice. The GTA with the support of National Security and the Ghana Police Service will begin patrols of the beaches from Tuesday, 24th March 2020, to ensure compliance with the closure order.” Below is a copy of the statement: Source: https://www.graphic.com.gh/
Europe Struggles to Get Ahead of Virus as Death Toll Mounts
European leaders are scrambling to enforce unprecedented restrictions on the movement of their populations in a desperate attempt to prevent their health-care systems being overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic. On a weekend that saw more than 2,000 people killed by the virus in Italy and Spain, Germany banned gatherings of more than two people and the U.K.’s Boris Johnson threatened “tougher measures” unless British people stop ignoring calls to avoid social gatherings. Officials in Rome decreed a halt to almost all domestic travel while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez extended the state of emergency in his country for another two weeks. German Chancellor Angela Merkel put herself in quarantine as a precaution after coming into contact with a doctor who tested positive for the virus. After a week in which the European Union unleashed its fiscal and monetary firepower to mitigate the economic damage — and to calm financial markets — the mounting death toll brought a grim reminder that in the clinics and hospitals at the heart of the outbreak, the virus is overpowering medical professionals. Decisions by Merkel and German state leaders on Sunday move Europe’s biggest economy closer to the drastic steps taken in Italy, the country with the most novel coronavirus deaths worldwide. Before heading home from the Chancellery for what it turned out would be her self-imposed quarantine, Merkel said Germany’s two-person rule won’t apply to families and people sharing a home. “No one wants to stand before the people and discuss such rules,” she told reporters in Berlin. “We are in a really tough situation.” Europe is also discussing more aggressive collective action to prop up the economy. Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau called for emergency loans to states by the European Stability Mechanism rescue fund. European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos said the EU should marshal a joint fiscal response this week. Risky Behavior In the U.K., Johnson may decide as soon as Monday to impose restrictions similar to Germany’s. Weekend newspapers reported that Britons were now meeting in parks and making trips to coastal towns, after the government last week ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close. “We need to think about the kinds of measures that we’ve seen elsewhere,” Johnson said at a televised press conference on Sunday. “Some people are not making it easy for us because they are congregating in a way that helps spread the disease.” Italy, where the disease has killed almost 5,500 people, ordered people to stay in their municipalities except for “non-deferrable and proven business or health reasons or other urgent matters,” according to the Health Ministry. The measure applies to all private and public transportation. However, Sunday’s toll of 651 fatalities was lower than the day before. “We all hope that this trend can be confirmed in the new few days,” Angelo Borrelli, head of Italy’s civil protection agency, told reporters. “But we must not lower our guard.” The Italian measures followed Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s decision late Saturday to temporarily halt all non-essential business activity in the country of 60 million. Supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and post offices and other essential businesses will stay open, he said. The latest source of concern is thousands of idled workers with roots in southern Italy who could head there and bring the disease with them. Vincenzo De Luca, governor of the Campania region that surrounds Naples, urged Conte in a phone call Sunday to take “drastic measures” to block such an influx. Merkel’s Moves In Spain, Sanchez will seek parliamentary approval to extend a state of emergency to April 11 after almost 400 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours lifted the total to 1,720, the second-highest in Europe. Croatia called out the army after an earthquake on Sunday caused damage in Zagreb, the capital, potentially complicating the country’s response to the coronavirus. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seeking to extend a state of emergency indefinitely and threaten prison time for anyone spreading false information about the virus. Those measures would require support from opposition lawmakers to pass. Merkel has been at odds with some of the Germany’s 16 state governments about how best to contain the virus, which has infected almost 25,000 people and claimed more than 80 lives. The chancellor is against a rigid lockdown, fearing that such a measure could backfire, and wants a more coordinated national approach on restrictions to public life. Most German states indicated they will implement the new rules, which include closing restaurants except for delivery and takeout. As she gets to grips with running the country from her Berlin apartment, Merkel plans to get an emergency budget through the Bundestag this week to allow an extra 150 billion euros ($160 billion) of spending, the central pillar in Europe’s fiscal response to the crisis. Germany’s new restrictions: Reduce contact with people outside your household to a minimum When outside, meet no more than one person at a time that’s not a family member or lives in your household Keep a distance of 5 feet (1.5 meters) from anyone outside You can go to work and to appointments or the doctor, do grocery shopping, practice sports or walk outside No groups of people partying anywhere in public or private Services such as hairdressers, tattoo and cosmetics studios will close. Bars and restaurants will be shuttered except for takeout. Source: bloomberg.com
Government to set up 15 coronavirus testing centres
Presidential Adviser on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, has announced that the Government is working towards having at least 15 centres across the country to test everyone who has come into contact with a COVID-19 patient. The centres would have a combined capacity of testing 200,000 samples. At present, tests are conducted at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in the Greater Accra Region and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in the Ashanti Region Addressing a sensitisation programme on COVID-19 for senior journalists, in Accra, under the auspices of the Ghana Journalists Association, Dr Nsiah Asare said some ACR machines in some of the health facilities would be calibrated for testing the virus. He, therefore, urged the media to encourage anyone who had come into contact with a patient to make himself/herself available for voluntary testing. People should also not go to the quarantine facilities to pick their relatives home, he said, explaining that it was safer to keep one person suspected to be exposed to virus in isolation for the mandatory 14 days than to bring that person home to likely spread it to an entire family or beyond. A total of about 100,000 people, he said, had been targeted for testing to be able to isolate and treat those exposed to the respiratory virus to prevent them from spreading it. “In our efforts to contain the disease, we have to learn the experience of South Korea and Japan and one of them is to test, test, and test the people who are sick and as the President said, we are expecting 50,000 test kits in the mean time to test everybody, who has been exposed to a patient.” “So far, we have identified more than 500 people through our contact tracing and we are still searching so that when we test anyone who is positive, we can isolate them and when they opt for self-quarantine, we will teach them what to do ,” he said. Dr Nsiah Asare said all major health facilities were being made to designate isolation facilities for COVID-19 patients, while adequate Personal Protective Equipment were being procured for all frontline workers, including health and security officers. He appealed to every citizen to cooperate with the authorities in their efforts to limit and prevent the importation of the disease, prevent its spread in the society and provide adequate treatment for the sick to prevent a lockdown situation. The near empty streets in Accra, following the closure of the markets for disinfection, he said, was an indication of how a lockdown situation would affect social life and grind the economy to a halt. Should it become necessary to introduce more stringent measures, he said, it would be imperative to have the cooperation of everyone for the common good. He debunked information that the virus could be spread through the air, saying existing scientific literature did not support that. “I have read the literature, which says that depending on the environment, the virus may be present in aerosol for about six to eight hours, but it doesn’t say anywhere that you can get it from breathing it from the air,” he stated. “What we know is that it is spread through the droplets of a patient through contact, either by directly sneezing or coughing into another’s face and touching a surface, which has the virus. It stays longer on some surfaces than others, but luckily, this virus can be washed away by soap and water.” He, however, explained that science was still in the process of discovering the nature and characteristics of the virus and would update the literature when necessary. He advised that the existing health preventive protocol, including the washing of hands with soap under running water and using alcohol-based sanitizers; maintaining social distance and covering the mouth with a disposal tissue when sneezing and coughing be strictly adhered to. A sensitisation programme was aimed at getting the participants well informed and to use the right information resources to educate the public to avoid spreading fear and panic rather than calm. Ghana has since Thursday, March 12, recorded 24 cases with one fatality. Source: https://www.myjoyonline.com/
Photos from Accra markets after Monday’s fumigation exercise
In line with measures outlined by government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Ghana, about 1,300 sprayers were deplored to disinfect some 137 markets in 28 districts of the Greater Accra Region today, Monday. The exercise, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development had explained, was to help enhance hygienic conditions following the increasing cases of COVID-19 recorded in Ghana. Currently, the Ministry of Health has confirmed 24 cases, with one death. From the Mallam Atta market in the Ayawaso Central Constituency, Madina market in the Madina constituency to the Abossy Okine and Dansoman market in the Ablekuma Central Constituency, 10 sprayers were each assigned to disinfect the facilities with Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Hypochloride. According to citizen journalist and photographer Gerard Nartey, while most of the market women followed the announcement by the Local Government to keep their shops closed, curious residents were seen monitoring the ongoing exercise. The activity also had an effect on transportation as many drivers who operate within terminals located in the markets could not operate. Already the exercise is expected to be carried out across various markets in the country. Source: Joy Online
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): What parents should know
How to protect yourself and your children What is a ‘novel’ coronavirus?A novel coronavirus (CoV) is a new strain of coronavirus. The disease caused by the novel coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China, has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – ‘CO’ stands for corona, ‘VI’ for virus, and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as ‘2019 novel coronavirus’ or ‘2019-nCoV.’ The COVID-19 virus is a new virus linked to the same family of viruses as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and some types of common cold. How does the COVID-19 virus spread?The virus is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (generated through coughing and sneezing), and touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. The COVID-19 virus may survive on surfaces for several hours, but simple disinfectants can kill it. What are the symptoms of coronavirus?Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties. More rarely, the disease can be fatal. These symptoms are similar to the flu (influenza) or the common cold, which are a lot more common than COVID-19. This is why testing is required to confirm if someone has COVID-19. It’s important to remember that key prevention measures are the same – frequent hand washing, and respiratory hygiene (cover your cough or sneeze with a flexed elbow or tissue, then throw away the tissue into a closed bin). Also, there is a vaccine for the flu – so remember to keep yourself and your child up to date with vaccinations. How can I avoid the risk of infection?Here are four precautions you and your family can take to avoid infection: Wash your hands frequently using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub Cover your mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue, when coughing or sneezing, and throw away the tissue into a closed binAvoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptomsGo to the doctor if you have a fever, cough or feel that it is difficult to breathe Should I wear a medical mask?The use of a medical mask is advised if you have respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing) to protect others. If you don’t have any symptoms, then there is no need to wear a mask. If masks are worn, they must be used and disposed of properly to ensure their effectiveness and to avoid any increased risk of transmitting the virus. The use of a mask alone is not enough to stop infections and must be combined with frequent hand washing, covering sneezes and coughs, and avoiding close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms (coughing, sneezing, fever). Does COVID-19 affect children?This is a new virus and we do not know enough yet about how it affects children or pregnant women. We know it is possible for people of any age to be infected with the virus, but so far there have been relatively few cases of COVID-19 reported among children. The virus is fatal in rare cases, so far mainly among older people with pre-existing medical conditions. What should I do if my child has symptoms of COVID-19?Seek medical attention, but remember that it’s flu season in the Northern Hemisphere, and symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough or fever can be similar to those of the flu, or the common cold – which are a lot more frequent. Continue to follow good hand and respiratory hygiene practices like regular handwashing, and keep your child up to date with vaccinations – so that your child is protected against other viruses and bacteria causing diseases. As with other respiratory infections like the flu, seek care early if you or your child are having symptoms, and try to avoid going to public places (workplace, schools, public transport), to prevent spread to others. What should I do if a family member displays symptoms?You should seek medical care early if you or your child has a fever, cough or difficulty breathing. Consider calling ahead to tell your health care provider if you have traveled to an area where COVID-19 has been reported, or if you have been in close contact with someone with who has traveled from one of these areas and has respiratory symptoms. Should I take my child out of school?If your child is having symptoms, seek medical care, and follow the instructions from the health care provider. Otherwise, as with other respiratory infections like the flu, keep your child well rested at home while symptomatic, and avoid going to public places, to prevent spread to others. If your child isn’t displaying any symptoms such as a fever or cough – and unless a public health advisory or other relevant warning or official advice has been issued affecting your child’s school – it’s best to keep your child in class. Instead of keeping children out of school, teach them good hand and respiratory hygiene practices for school and elsewhere, like frequent handwashing (see below), covering cough or sneeze with a flexed elbow or tissue, then throwing away the tissue into a closed bin, not touching their eyes, mouths or noses if they haven’t properly washed their hands. What is the best way to wash hands properly?Step 1: Wet hands with running water Step 2: Apply enough soap to cover wet hands Step 3: Scrub all surfaces of the hands – including back of hands, between fingers and under nails – for at least 20 seconds. Step 4: Rinse thoroughly with running water Step 5: Dry hands with a clean cloth or single-use towel Wash your hands often, especially before eating; after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; and going to the bathroom. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water, if hands are visibly dirty. Can pregnant women pass coronavirus to unborn children? At this time, there is not enough evidence to determine whether the virus
Coronavirus: Streets of Accra deserted
Many streets of Accra were deserted on Monday, 23rd March 2020 probably due to the announced disinfection of the various markets in Accra. The Ghana News Agency observed that the streets were also devoid of the usual street hawkers and beggars except for a few. Some major streets that usually have heavy traffic especially on a Monday including the Madina Zongo Junction, Kanda – Kawukudi street, the 37 hospital street stretch all had very little traffic. GNA’s Hannah Awadzi observed that it took her just about 45 minutes from Malejor, a suburb of Accra near Valley View University in Oyibi, to get to the Central Business District instead of the usual two hours. The city centre was also devoid of its usual hustle and bustle. Many shops were closed, few public transportation vehicles (Trotro) could be seen plying the streets. Most of the vehicles of the streets were either private vehicles or taxis. The Local Government Ministry had earlier announced that they were in collaboration with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies as well as Market Queens and were closing markets in the Greater Accra region for disinfection. The disinfection exercise aims at enhancing the conditions of hygiene in the markets in order to contain and prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease. Source: Ghana Web
Coronavirus cases in Ghana rise to 27, two deaths now recorded
The number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ghana has risen to 27, as of Monday (March 23) evening. This was confirmed in a statement by the Disease Surveillance Department of the Ghana Health Service (GHS). The statement said 25 of the confirmed patients are receiving treatment, while two have unfortunately passed on. “Twenty-seven (27) confirmed cases with two (2) deaths have been recorded. All the twenty-five (25) confirmed cases are receiving treatment in isolation,” the statement reads. Meanwhile, twenty (20) of the infected persons are of Ghanaian nationality, majority of whom returned home from affected countries. The remaining seven patients are from Norway, Lebanon, China, France and the UK, the GHS said. Source: https://www.pulse.com.gh/
Ghana confirms 2nd coronavirus death
25 patients receiving treatment in isolation, Health Ministry says Ghana has recorded its second death from coronavirus, according to a statement. ”Out of the suspected, twenty-seven (27) cases including two (2) deaths have been confirmed,” the country’s Health Ministry said in a statement late Monday. All 25 patients are receiving treatment in isolation, it added. The ministry said among the confirmed cases, 20 are Ghanaian nationals, the majority of whom returned home from affected countries. Seven are foreign nationals from Norway, Lebanon, China, France, and the U.K. Last week, the West African nation announced the closure of its borders to curb the spread of the deadly virus. Most African governments have introduced several measures to curtail the virus’ spread, including closing schools, imposing travel restrictions and prohibiting large gatherings. The virus first emerged in Wuhan, China last December and has spread to at least 168 countries and territories. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic. There are 381,598 confirmed cases worldwide and the death toll now tops 16,500, while over 101,000 people have recovered, according to U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/
Italy virus toll tops 4,000, New York joins California in lockdown
The grim toll of coronavirus deaths in Italy, the world’s worst-hit nation, surged past 4,000 on Friday as New York and other US states joined California in ordering a lockdown to try to bring the pandemic under control. While new infections were being detected around the planet, there was a glimmer of hope in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic began in December, with no new cases reported. As Italy reeled from its worst single-day toll with more than 600 deaths, worldwide fatalities swept past 11,000, with the number of infected people topping 258,000, according to an AFP tally. Governments and central banks continued meanwhile to throw huge sums of money into the economic battle, hoping that a deep global recession could somehow be dodged. US President Donald Trump applauded decisions by the governors of New York and California to order residents to stay home but said he did not think a nationwide lockdown was needed. “Those are really two hotbeds,” Trump said. “I don’t think we’ll ever find (a US-wide lockdown) necessary,” he said, adding optimistically that the United States was “winning” the war against the virus. Shortly after Trump spoke, the governor of Illinois ordered residents of the midwestern state to stay at home and the governor of Connecticut did the same. The stay-at-home orders put the three most populous cities in the United States — New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago — under lockdown. Britain, falling in line with its neighbors in the European Union, also announced tougher restrictions, telling pubs, restaurants and theaters to close and promising to help cover the wages of affected workers. Italy reported its worst single day, adding another 627 fatalities and taking its reported total to 4,032 despite government efforts to stem the virus spread. California has told its 40 million residents to stay at home. By MARIO TAMA (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP) The nation of 60 million now accounts for 36.2 percent of the world’s coronavirus deaths and its death rate of 8.6 percent among those registered with infections is significantly higher than in most other countries. France on Friday reported 78 more deaths over the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll there to 450. ‘Hope’ In encouraging news, Wuhan reported no new cases in 24 hours. The Basilica di San Miniato al Monte illuminated with the colors of the Italian flag in Florence, Italy. By Carlo BRESSAN (AFP) “Wuhan provides hope for the rest of the world that even the most severe situation can be turned around”, said World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Hours earlier, California, among the worst-hit US states with over 1,000 cases and 19 deaths, told its 40 million residents to stay at home. New York state, which has reported over 7,000 cases and 38 deaths, followed suit on Friday morning, ordering its nearly 20 million residents to do the same from Sunday evening. “We’re all in quarantine now,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said. Illinois issued a similar stay-at-home order. Across Europe, governments continued to rigorously enforce lockdown measures. By SEBASTIEN BOZON (AFP) “Left unchecked, cases in Illinois will rise rapidly, hospital systems will be overwhelmed, protective equipment will become scarce,” Governor J.B. Pritzker said. “They are taking strong steps. I applaud them,” Trump said, referring to Cuomo and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Trump also announced Friday that the US and Mexico have agreed to restrict non-essential travel across their border beginning on Saturday. He said the move, similar to one already announced with northern neighbor Canada, was necessary to prevent the “spread the infection to our border agents, migrants, and to the public at large.” Across Europe, governments continued to rigorously enforce lockdown measures as the continent’s most celebrated boulevards and squares remained silent and empty even as warmer spring weather arrived. Wuhan — the Chinese metropolis where the COVID-19 pandemic began — reported no new cases in 24 hours. By STR (AFP) France, Italy, Spain and other European countries have told people to stay at home, threatening fines in some cases, and Bavaria became the first region in Germany to order a lockdown, imposing restrictions on going out for two weeks. ‘Idiots’ France said more than 4,000 people were fined on the first day of its confinement and ministers branded those breaking the rules as “idiots”. Graphic showing largest number of daily cases of COVID-19 from March 13 to 19. By (AFP) The strict measures follow the template set by China, as a lockdown imposed in Hubei province where the virus first emerged appeared to have paid off. China’s death count was steady at 3,248, according to an AFP tally. Europe now accounts for more than half of the world’s fatalities linked to COVID-19. Accurate figures are difficult to come by, however, as many of those who die suffer from other illnesses and infection rates are uncertain because of a lack of testing in many countries. The shadow of the virus is lengthening across Africa and the Middle East too. Gabon confirmed sub-Saharan Africa’s second known death on Friday, with reported cases across Africa standing at more than 900 and rising fast. A member of the Bolivarian National Guard checks a woman’s temperature outside a market in Caracas, Venezuela on March 20, 2020. By Federico PARRA (AFP) In Iran, both supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani promised the country would overcome the outbreak — but still refused to join the rest of the world in imposing heavy restrictions. The pandemic has sparked fears of a global recession, battering the world’s stock markets and prompting governments to push huge spending plans to limit the damage. The central banks of the United States, Japan, Britain, Canada and Switzerland joined forces on Friday in a new bid to keep money pumping through the world economy. In the United States, senators began negotiations over a $1 trillion emergency stimulus package to help Americans ravaged by the virus outbreak. The US package — coupled with a European Central
Coronavirus: Young people are not ‘invincible’ – WHO warns
Young people are not immune from coronavirus and must avoid socialising and communicating it to older, more vulnerable people, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. The choices made by the young can be “the difference between life and death for someone else”, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Over 11,000 patients have died from the Covid-19 respiratory illness worldwide. Nearly 250,000 patients have tested positive overall. The WHO chief’s remarks follow reports that young people in many countries are being complacent about health warnings, because of the greater susceptibility to the virus among older patients. The coronavirus outbreak was first recorded in China in December. But now the centre of the pandemic is Europe. In Italy – where the virus has killed more people than in any other country – the death toll rose by 627 on Friday, reaching a total of 4,032, making it the deadliest day for one country since the outbreak began. Speaking at an online news conference from WHO headquarters in Geneva, Mr Tedros said: “Although older people are hardest hit, younger people are not spared.” He added: “I have a message for young people: You are not invincible, this virus could put you in hospital for weeks or even kill you. Even if you don’t get sick the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else.” Mr Tedros welcomed developments from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak originated, which reported no new cases on Thursday. He said this provided “hope for the rest of the world that even the most severe situation can be turned around”. Studies have show that people of all ages can be infected by the virus – but it is especially dangerous for older people and those with underlying illnesses. The average age of those who died from Covid-19 in Italy was 78.5 years. Fewer than 1% of patients under the age of 50 died in China, according to the New York Times. But it was fatal for nearly 15% of those who were over the age of 80. The WHO is now recommending “physical distance” instead of “social distancing” to help prevent transmission of the virus, Reuters reports. “We want people to remain connected,” said Dr Maria Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist, told the news agency. “So find ways to do that, find ways through the internet and through different social media to remain connected because your mental health going through this (pandemic) is just as important as your physical health,” she said.