The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to collaborate with the security agencies and ensure strict adherence of COVID-19 safety protocols. This, Chairman of REGSEC Simon Osei-Mensah, is meant to slow down the rate at which the region is recording active cases. He said this while addressing the press in Kumasi on Tuesday, August 3.
He said “Ashanti Region has seen a very sharp upsurge in the number of cases. Because of this, it has become necessary to tighten the enforcement of the various Covid protocols in the region. The security agencies are going to ensure that we observe all the covid protocols.
“We are urging all the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to join hands with the respective security councils to undertake the following; ensure the mandatory wearing of a facemask in all communities; provide veronica buckets at public places including markets, lorry parks and health centres; also enforce all restrictions on public gatherings as spelt out in the President’s 26th address to the nation of the Covid situation.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called for the scale-up of free covid-19 testing in hot spot areas across the country.
The association also called for enhanced contact tracing as well as strict isolation and management of all infected persons at designated centres.
These measures, according to the GMA will help deal with the spike in Covid-19 cases in the country.
The GMA made these recommendations in a communique issued at the end of the fourth National Executive Council meeting in Accra on July 30, 2021.
“The Covid-19 situation in the country is alarming and dire at this particular moment especially with the rapid spread of the Delta variant in our communities.
“The risk of further exponential rises in the number of Covid-19 cases and its attendant strain on our already overstretched and fragile health system as well as the national economy cannot be overemphasized or discounted.
“The various major health facilities involved in the management of moderate, severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients continue to see an increasing rate of infections and related deaths.
“The GMA calls for an urgent scale up of free and enhanced COVDI testing in our communities especially in all identified COVDI10 h0t spots, contact tracing as well as strict isolation and management of all infected persons at designated centres together with strict adherence and enforcement of all Covod-19 Preventive protocols to help break the chain of transmission.”
As of July 29, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said, the number of active cases stood at 5,928.
86 of them are severely ill while 17 are in critical condition.
The GHS revealed that new cases reported have shot up to 664, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 104,994.
By Ibrahim Abubakr|3news.com|Ghana
