Coronavirus: Confirmed cases up to 53, with 2 deaths

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Confirmed cases of the dreaded coronavirus keep increasing with the latest being an additional one that brings the total to 53.

Earlier in the day at a press conference in Accra, the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu announced that a total of 52 cases have been recorded with two deaths.

However, an update on the Ghana Health Service (GHS) website puts the number at 53, with two deaths.

Below is the confirmation by the GHS:

Situation Update, Confirmed Covid-19 Cases In Ghana As At 24 March 2020

As of 24 March 2020, a total of fifty-three (53) cases including two (2) deaths have been confirmed. All the fifty-one (51) confirmed cases are receiving treatment in isolation.

The sudden spike in case incidence is as a result of the mandatory quarantine and compulsory testing for all travelers entering Ghana, as directed by the president. As of 24 March, total of 1,030 are under mandatory quarantine; 844 have had their samples taken; 510 have had the samples tested; and out these twenty-six (26) tested positive for COVID-19.

Great majority of the confirmed cases are Ghanaians, who returned home from affected countries. Seven (7) are of other nationals namely: Norway, Lebanon, China, France, UK. In respect of contact tracing, a total of 829 contacts have been identified and are being tracked. One (1) of the contacts developed symptoms and has been confirmed positive.

Nineteen (19) people have completed the 14 days of mandatory follow up.