Accra, June 14, GNA- President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says although the Covid-19 count currently stands at 11,964, the fatality rate of 54 remains very low.
“Mercifully for us, by the grace of God, the number of COVID-19 related deaths, sad though each death is, continue to remain low, one of the lowest in Africa and the world,”he said.
“The ratio of deaths to positive cases stands at 0.4 per cent, compared to the global average of 5.5 per cent, and the African average of 2.6 per cent,” the President said in his 11th address to the nation on measures to contain the COVID-19 panic, adding that 254,331 test had been conducted so far.
The President further stated that currently in the various treatment and isolation centres, there were 13 people who were severely ill, six in critical condition and three on ventilators, but a total of 4,258 patients have fully recovered and have been discharged.
He said Ghana had conducted one of the highest number of tests on the African continent, adding that many countries in the world, including several of the developed economies, were not implementing a policy of enhanced contact tracing, and this made Ghana’s data qualitatively different and more effective in the fight against COVID-19.
President Akufo-Addo indicated that indeed the success of “our tracing, testing and treating, will lead, in the end, to a reduction in the number of the cases, saying “this is what we are working for”.
He urged Ghanaians not to focus much attention on the rise in the total number of confirmed cases, but rather their scrutiny must be on the number of active cases, which involved the total people who remained positive.
The total number of people with the virus, that is, active cases from the tests conducted, he said, was 7,652, bringing the positivity rate that; the ratio of positive cases to the total tests conducted, to 4.7 per cent.
He explained that the increase in the numbers indicated that the virus had and continued to spread, and the public ought to bear in mind that the more people were tested for the virus, the more likely the discovery of more positive cases, giving an opportunity to isolate and treat them.
President Akufo-Addo said “if indeed we, are to be guided by the data, then we must look at the data in its ramifications, not just particular aspects of them,” adding that Ghana should not let its guard down and throw out of the window the efforts made so far which, had even earn it the status of becoming a reference for many in handling of the pandemic.
He said on the contrary, as the country began to ease the restrictions, people must be even more disciplined in the adherence to the personal hygiene and social distancing measures,.
The President urged all Ghanaians to keep fit, “Eat our local foods to boost their immune systems. “
He also implored all to pay attention to their health, and to immediately report symptoms such as fever, persistent cough, bodily pains, loss of taste and smell, and difficulty in breathing for proper medical attention at the nearest health facility.
The President deplored the stigma associated with the disease, citing the stories of persons who had recovered from the disease, and were being shunned by their own relatives and communities, as a source of considerable worry, because they undermined the efforts to fight the disease.
“There is nothing shameful about testing positive. We do not have to lose our sense of community because of this pandemic,” and that the Government through the Ghana Health Service, continue to monitor on a daily basis, the spread of the virus, and had benchmarks of health outcomes, which defined the mitigation measures that must be pursued to curb the spread of the virus, and enable the country to reassess the easing of restrictions.
He reminded residents of Accra, Kumasi, as well as the Western and Central Regions, where the great majority of cases had been recorded, with increases in infections, to continue to adhere to the social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols announced.
The President paid tribute to the memory of the Mr K.K Sam, Chief Executive of the Secondi-Takoradi Metropilos, who succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday.
He further wished Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Minister of Health, who was being treated for contracting COVID-19, a speedy recovery.
GNA