COVID-19: Ghana Has Second-highest Recoveries In West Africa
Ghana has the second-highest number of recoveries from the Coronavirus among West African nations monitored by the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
Ghana which has recorded 2,317 recoveries from the illness which has infected 7,117 persons and claimed 34 lives comes second to only Nigeria which has 2,385 recoveries from 8,344 confirmed cases and 249 deaths.
However, Ghana has a lower case fatality ratio (0.48%) as compared to Nigeria (2.98%).
Figures from the Africa CDC also indicates that Guinea has the third-highest number of recoveries in the region with 1,673 followed by Senegal (1,565) and Cote d'Ivoire (1,257).
President Akufo-Addo has hinted that Ghana's low case-fatality ratio could result in an easing of lockdown restrictions.
"Stakeholder consultations are taking place on the way forward towards the easing of restrictions, so that our social and economic lives can go back to normal. I expect these consultations to conclude this week, so that I can announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap for easing the restrictions. We have to find a way back, but in safety, for we cannot be under these restrictions forever," the President said.
"I am fortified in this view by three considerations. Firstly, sad though any premature death is, the hard fact is that the rate of deaths in Ghana amongst confirmed cases is very low – one per one million, i.e. 0.0001%, one of the lowest in Africa, and, indeed, in the world, this, despite the very high number of tests we are carrying out. This has been so since the very beginning of the outbreak over two (2) months ago".
The President added that the number of critically-ill Coronavirus patients that required hospitalisation and ventilation support had also remained consistently low.
Ghana had imposed a three-week lockdown on three major cities (Greater Accra, Kasoa and Greater Kumasi) identified as coronavirus hotspots in March.
The president lifted the lockdown on April 20 but extended the ban on public gatherings that include Ghanian elaborate funerals, church services and schools.
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