Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, the Presidential Advisor on Health has admonished all Ghanaians to adhere strictly to COVID-19 safety protocols as he warns a third wave of the deadly virus could overwhelm the country.
His assertions follow a confirmation that the country’s hospitals are currently burdened by new severe infections of COVID-19, especially the UK strain and the Delta variant.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with host of The Big Bulletin, Beatrice Adu, he said the country currently does not have adequate facilities, equipment and health practitioners to treat patients should Ghana experience a new wave of COVID-19, especially in the hotspots like the Greater Accra and the Ashanti regions.
“We know that the active cases are going up, we have also seen a slight increase in the number of severe cases, and critical cases.
“So, once we see active cases going up it means the critical care beds, which are the most important beds because they are for people who need emergency care, oxygen and the rest must be available and unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of critical beds in the country and for that matter, in the hotspot areas like Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi metropolis. So that is where our concern is and we are entreating everybody to obey strictly the COVID-19 protocols,” Dr Asare said.
Adhere to protocols
He also refuted claims that the increase in the country’s case count is as a result of the new Delta variant explaining that the number of active cases would continue to increase if Ghanaians do not adhere to COVID-19 safety precautions.
“The new strain is very transmissible, and it spreads very quickly but the most important thing is, whether it is the new strain, Wuhan strain or any other strain, the most important thing is, put on your mask, wash your hands, and use sanitisers, and don’t go to crowded places,” he warned.
Ghana’s active cases stand at 2, 314 as the death toll hits 802.
Elliot Nuertey
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