Akufo-Addo’s 19th address on measures to combat coronavirus

Akufo-Addo’s 19th address on measures to combat coronavirus

Watch video below;

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday, November 8, 2020, addressed the nation for the 19th since the country recorded its first two cases of the novel Coronavirus in March.

In his address, the President hinted that, there has been a gradual change in the trajectory of the virus, with an increase in active cases from the 398 cases recorded three weeks ago, to 1,139 active cases, as at Friday, 6th November 2020.

“The total number of deaths now stands at 320, a great majority of them, still, with underlying illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic liver disease and asthma,” Akufo-Addo said.

He also announced the extension of the incentive package for health workers to the end of the year [December 2020].

Read below the full address.

Fellow Ghanaians, good evening, and thank you, once again, for letting me into your homes.

Three weeks ago, I delivered Update No.18 on the measures being taken by Government to stem the tide of COVID-19 on our shores. I indicated that the number of recorded active cases, that is persons with the virus, was in decline, with the statistics pointing to the fact that we were on the path towards defeating the virus. Our nation, in the weeks prior to that address, had become accustomed to this downward slide of active cases.

In recent weeks, however, we have observed a gradual change in the trajectory of the virus, with an increase in active cases from the three hundred and ninety-eight (398) cases recorded three weeks ago, to one thousand, one hundred and thirty-nine (1,139) active cases, as at Friday, 6th November 2020. The total number of deaths now stands at three hundred and twenty (320), a great majority of them, still, with underlying illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic liver disease and asthma.

The number of daily infections is on the rise, from an average of twenty-five (25) new cases per day then, to an average of over one hundred and thirty (130) new cases per day in the course of the last two weeks. In Greater Accra, with the exception of two (2) districts, all districts have reported cases. In contrast, we have only seen a cluster of cases in the other regions from only a handful of districts. These figures, obviously, give cause for concern, in view of what is happening in Europe and America, following the outbreak of a second wave of infections that is engulfing so many other countries.

An analysis of the active case data suggests that the Greater Accra Region accounts for some seventy-five percent (75%), with Ashanti, Bono, Eastern and Western being responsible for sixteen percent (16%) of active cases. The remaining eleven (11) Regions make up four percent (4%) of the cases, with arrivals at Kotoka International Airport responsible for the other five percent (5%).
Read also Sethoo Gh preaches peace ahead of 2020 elections

Scientists at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, at the University of Ghana, Legon, collaborating with the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, who are studying the genetic make-up of the virus in Ghana, have established that the virus has not changed. Our observation, however, is that a reduction in compliance with the preventive protocols account for the increase in infections.

Fellow Ghanaians, it appears that we are letting our guard down.

Now more than ever, we have to adhere to mask wearing, handwashing, the use of sanitizers, and social distancing protocols that have become a part of our daily routines, and which has ensured that we do not impose, all over again, the restrictions we are seeing in other parts of the world.

In order to help arrest this new threat of rising infections, Government is going to reaffirm the steps that have served us well so far. We are enhancing the measures of tracing, testing and treatment, i.e. the 3Ts. In addition to this, we will continue to limit the importation of the virus, embark on the strategic, controlled easing of public gatherings, enhance public education and information, and continue to provide relief and support to individuals, families and businesses.

To this end, I have instructed the release of additional logistics, including vehicles, to the Ghana Health Service in order to help beef up contact tracing, and the supervision and monitoring of asymptomatic cases being managed from home. We are also employing the use of technology to augment our contact tracing efforts, as well as the supervision and monitoring of home care cases.

With the imposition of stringent testing measures at the airport, we have, so far, been able to detect one hundred and seventy-two (172) positive cases amongst some fifty-four thousand (54,000) arriving international passengers. The airport authorities will continue to demand that passengers arriving in the country should be in possession of a seventy-two (72)-hour old negative PCR test, and we will continue to sanction airlines that flout this directive. The health authorities will intensify the follow up process of arriving passengers, even when they have tested negative to help ensure we have ruled out any possible infection that may have occurred during the period of embarkation and disembarkation.

Watch video below;

Read also Sethoo Gh preaches peace ahead of 2020 elections