General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has given a new name to the deadly coronavirus disease.
According to him, though the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an official name for the new disease – COVID-19 – some Ghanaians are still struggling to pronounce the name.
He has therefore suggested that Ghana localises the name of the diseases by calling it ‘Kofi-19’, a Twi expression that is close to Convid-19.
“That gentleman [disease] called COVID-19, I think his [its] Twi name is ‘Kofi-19’; people are struggling to pronounce the name so why not call it ‘Kofi-19’ because that’s the closest name we can give it,” he said jokingly.
The new name from General Mosquito, as he is popularly known, comes shortly after Ghana has confirmed its seventh Covid-19 case on Tuesday.
Health officials say the patient is a 35-year-old Ghanaian citizen who returned from France a couple of days ago and was subjected to a 14-day quarantine.
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Following the quarantine process and observation, a test from University of Ghana’s Noguchi confirmed him as positive.
President Akufo-Addo addressed the nation Sunday night on key precautionary steps the Government had taken in the interest of all to help minimize and possibly kick the novel Coronavirus out of the country.
This includes a ban on all social gatherings and church activities in the next four weeks.
However, the general scribe reacting to the guidelines on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem Wednesday said in spite of the President’s directives, he expected the government to do more by way of enforcement.
“I heard some people complaining about the President’s announcement but I think it shouldn’t just be mere announcement. They should back it with strict actions and other complimentary things which would at least reduce the spread of the disease,” he urged.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has tracked down hundred and ninety-nine (199) contacts who were traced from the six (6) confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, bringing the total to 350.