Bono East Minister allays fears, urges strict compliance amid first case of coronavirus

The Bono East Regional Minister, Honourable Kofi Amoakohene has called on residents in the region to remain calm.

The call by the Regional Minister comes after the Bono East Region recorded its first case of the novel coronavirus since its outbreak in the country.

++Honourable Kofi Amoakohene has revealed that the first case was recorded as a result of routine and enhance surveillance tests that were carried out in the region.

According to him, 1,393 samples were taken in both exercises with one positive case involving a 31-year-old commercial driver at Yeji in the Pru East District who has since been moved to one of the Isolation Centres in the region.

Speaking exclusively to Ghanaweb, Kofi Amoakohene revealed that the technical team has so far identified eight contacts through contact tracing and efforts are underway to engage the community.

He emphasized that the rapid response team all along have been guided by the happenings in other regions since the outbreak of the virus in the country and were alert and ready for a possible case, an arrangement that saw them attacking the virus by implementing, enforcing and instituting the needed measures and protocols.

“We have recorded our first case of COVID-19 in the Bono East region but there is no cause for alarm as the rapid response team are on the ground to deal with the situation.

“There are plans on the ground to deal with community spread and I will call on people to stay calm and continue to abide by the safety protocols.”

Meanwhile, residents in the region have expressed fear over the first case and have appealed to authorities to intensify the adherence to the COVID-19 protocols.

The Ghana Health Service on May 28, 2020, announced that the Bono East had recorded its first case.

The update brings the total number of affected regions in the country to 15 with only the Ahafo region yet to record a case.