The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has reiterated that COVID-19 is still present in the country and has never been completely eradicated since its outbreak in 2020. The GHS has urged the public not to underestimate the existence of the virus, as new cases have recently emerged, particularly within the University of Ghana community. In an interview with Citi Eyewitness News on Thursday, June 26, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, the Director of Public Health at the GHS, emphasized that the virus continues to circulate at low levels nationwide and has not been declared eliminated.
“COVID never left. COVID has been with us since 2020. Somewhere last year, the Director-General of WHO said that COVID is no longer an issue of emergency; we never said COVID is gone. If it were gone, WHO would declare an end to the pandemic,” he stated. Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe noted that Ghana’s surveillance systems remain active and have consistently picked up new cases. He explained that the recent infections recorded at the University of Ghana appear to have spread during a hall week celebration on campus.
“There was this hall week celebration, and because we had a cluster of students, one of whom had the virus, it caused the spread. But I want to put it in context that COVID never left, and this is not the first time we are recording new cases. We’ve seen infections over the past weeks and months,” he said. He urged the public—especially institutions—to revisit established COVID-19 safety protocols as a preventive measure and endorsed the University of Ghana’s decision to suspend social events.
The university’s response to the COVID-19 situation was described as “an initiative to prevent the spread of the virus.” On Monday, June 23, the University of Ghana confirmed a resurgence of COVID-19 cases on campus and advised both students and staff to take immediate precautions.
In response, the university’s health directorate issued a directive on Thursday, June 26, suspending all social gatherings to help contain the spread of the virus. The statement indicated that both suspected and confirmed cases had been identified, leading to a reactivation of internal health measures and increased monitoring. Health officials are urging calm and emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene, wearing masks in crowded settings, and reporting symptoms early.
By: Patricia Boakye
