Oti region records first cases of Covid-19, health officials on alert

– The Oti region recorded two new cases of covid-19

– All municipal and district managers were told to be on high alert

– President Akufo-Addo listed the number of people to benefit from priority vaccines

Ghana’s Oti region, which is one of President Akufo-Addo’s new regions, has recorded its first cases of the coronavirus pandemic.

A letter confirming the cases has been sent to all district and municipal health service directors of the Ghana Health Service in the Oti region.

“I am writing to inform you of the confirmation of two (2) new cases of COVID-19 in the OTI region on January 21, 2021. The two cases are the first series of confirmed cases this year. They come from a set of seven (7) samples that were taken from suspected cases at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nkwanta South Municipal on the 18th and sent to the lab on January 19, 2021 after complaining of signs and symptoms. Measures have been taken for case management and contact tracing, ”said a letter signed by the regional director of health services, Dr Osei Kuffuor Afreh.

Doctors, trot drivers and teachers will be vaccinated first – Dr Okoe Boye

Vaccinations

Frontline health workers would be the primary beneficiaries of the distribution and administration of the Ghana coronavirus vaccination. President Akufo Addo said on Tuesday that the New Year’s school government has concluded a technical committee discussion on the vaccine and is awaiting action.

Speaking on Joy News, a former deputy health minister Bernard Oko Boye said the county had asked a World Health Organization platform to access the vaccine that should be available in the first of this year. He disclosed the priority list for immunization.

“As we speak, a technical committee is being set up to review the criteria for a deployment. First-line health workers on priority risk. In addition, security forces, people with health problems, carriers and teachers due to their interaction with passengers, ”he revealed.

Confinement

The government is under immense pressure to carry out a second lockdown. Ghana’s coronavirus positivity rate continues to rise. The Ghana Medical Association has warned that hospitals and intensive care units (ICUs) are overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases.

Rising number of active cases will lead to nationwide lockdown – Akufo-Addo

As of January 11, the number of confirmed active cases – as reported on the Ministry of Health’s website – stood at 1,404.

Figures from the Department of Health show an increase in daily figures since December – this has been linked to indiscipline, failure to adhere to covid-19 protocols and elections.

Already, the Ghana Medical Association has warned the public that “their health is in their hands” and that hospitals are overloaded to cope with the rise of the virus.

Even as the government rushes to curb the spread of the virus, suspicion of Covid-19 data deletion continues to rise. Journalists and some medical professionals doubt the figures presented by the Ministry of Health because they claim that they (the figures) are in stark contrast to the reality in various medical establishments.

Meanwhile, President Akufo Addo assured that Ghana was ready to roll out a mass vaccination program against Covid-19. Speaking during his recent speech on Covid-19, the President revealed that procurement processes are well advanced to secure millions of vaccine doses in 2021.