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Twenty-four samples out of the 29 suspected COVID-19 cases in the Bono Region have tested negative, the Regional COVID-19 Response Team has disclosed.
Results for the remaining five are being awaited.

According to the team, the samples of the 24 suspected cases were tested negative at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR) while the remaining five are yet to released.

Briefing the media about the COVID-19 situation, the Deputy Bono Regional Director of Health, who is in charge of Public Health, Dr John Ekow Otoo called on Ghanaians to disregard rumours about the positive cases of the disease in the region.

According to him, the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions had still not had any positive case of the coronavirus.

Collaboration

Dr Otoo explained that the response team was collaborating with the Ghana Immigration Service to ensure that people who used unapproved routes to enter the country from neighbouring La Cote d' Ivoire were tracked for the necessary actions.

He therefore called on citizens of towns located near the Ghana-La Cote d'Ivoire borders to be very vigilant in order to report people who would attempt to use unapproved routes to enter the country to the security agencies.

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"We are in this fight together and that is why it is necessary for all Ghanaians to play their roles for us to achieve our aim of stopping the spread of COVID-19 ", he stated.

Self-quarantine

The Bono Regional Director of Heath, Dr Kofi Issah explained that those whose samples were taken for testing were made to undergo self-quarantine at their homes some hospital facilities to observe all protocols while they awaited for their test results.

He stated that even though 24 out of the 29 suspected cases had tested negative, the suspected victims were still undergoing self-quarantine for further observation for the next 14 days.

Dr Issah appealed to residents of the various communities avoid stigmatising people who were suspected to have contracted the disease.

"It is not a crime to be sick", he stated and reminded Ghanaians that COVID-19 all Ghanaians were at risk of contracting the disease.

On whether health facilities in the region were prepared to meet challenges should positive cases were recorded, Dr Issah explained that preparations during pandemic situations were continuous.

"The Sunyani Regional Hospital and other health facilities are ready", he stated

Public response

Dr Issah, however, expressed concern about the fact that public response protocols outlined to stop the spread of the disease seem to be going down.

He said it was unfortunate that some people were not adhering to the social distancing protocol while others were not washing their hands with soap notwithstanding the the numerous educational programmes to teach them about proper handwashing processes.

Dr Issah, therefore appealed to the media to continue with the Ghana Health Service to intensify education on the disease to stop further spread of COVID-19 to the various communities.