Coronavirus: Akufo-Addo reveals why Ghana is recording more deaths

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has advised Ghanaians to seek early treatment after they start showing signs and symptoms of the deadly coronavirus.

The president in his 13th televised address to the nation on the measures taken to combat the coronavirus outbreak, the president said some infected persons who died through the virus failed to report to the hospital early when they started showing signs and symptoms 48 hours after contracting the virus.

”Fellow Ghanaians, as I have stated before, one of the key objects of our fight against COVID-19 has been to save lives, and reduce the number of deaths. The Ghana Health Service has observed that most of the patients that have been lost to the virus died either on arrival at the hospital or within forty-eight (48) hours after the arrival. Unfortunately, we still have some persons in the country who are not taking the dangers associated with this disease seriously, and, therefore, do not seek medical help as soon as they have symptoms that suggest an infection of the virus,” he said.

The president said there should be no stigmatization against persons who have contracted the virus.

He said: ”There should be no fear of stigmatisation or embarrassment with being diagnosed with COVID-19. So, please, when you begin to experience symptoms such as fever, persistent cough, bodily pains, loss of taste and smell, and difficulty in breathing, seek immediate medical attention at the nearest health facility.

Most patients, who are critically ill and need intensive care, do, indeed, survive the virus, if they seek medical help promptly. For example, out of fifty-three (53) patients admitted into intensive care units (ICU) at the Ga East Municipal Hospital and the University of Ghana Medical Centre, since the pandemic struck, forty-four (44), i.e. eighty three percent (83%), have fully recovered, and have been discharged.”

As at Saturday, 27th June, 2020, Ghana has recorded seventeen thousand, three hundred and fifty-one (17,351) confirmed cases, with twelve thousand, nine hundred and ninety-four (12,994) recoveries, representing some seventy five percent (75%) of positives.

This means that, currently, we have four thousand, two hundred and forty-five (4,245) active cases, having conducted two hundred and ninety-four thousand, eight hundred and sixty-seven (294,867) tests, one of the highest on the continent.

Thirty (30) persons are severely and critically ill, and we have a total of one hundred and twelve (112) sad deaths, constituting 0.6% of positives, as we maintain one of the lowest death rates in the world.