Ghana begins complete lockdown, closes land, sea, borders over Covid-19
London, March 22, 2020 (AltAfrica)-Ghana has closed all of its borders, land, sea and air to human traffic in an unprecedented lockdown as part of stringent measures to stop the spread of covid-19 infections
The country’s president, Nana Akufo Addo said in a national TV address that the closure of the borders will be in place for two weeks effective Sunday.
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All travellers who arrived before Sunday at Ghana’s airport would also be quarantined and tested for the virus.
But the president said the border closure won’t affect goods and cargo
The border closure order comes the very day Ghanaian health officials confirmed the country’s first death from covid-19 also known as Coronavirus
The country’s deputy health minister Alexander Abban told local media that the patient died in Ghana’s Ashanti region.
The patient was a 54 year old Labanese who got infected in Kumasi.
Officials are yet to confirm if indeed his death was because he got infected by Coronavirus or other complications caused it.
The country’s health ministry would also be expanding its contract tracing method and testing all those who come in contact with confirmed cases.
Ghana has so far recorded 19 coronavirus cases with concerns there could be more cases soon.
The country has already banned public gatherings, closed schools and restricted religious services.
Travel bans have also been imposed on visitors but the major challenge now for Ghana like other African countries is having proper infrastructure in place to fight the outbreak should things get worst.
All passengers arriving at Ghana’s biggest airport, the Kotoka International Airport in the capital Accra are being quarantined.
Some passengers who were informed of this decision confirmed the report on Saturday evening.
They however are unable to tell where exactly they would be quarantined and in what manner.
A Ghanaian communication consultant Lamisi Dabire who was arriving from Liberia said on her Facebook page that all passengers have been informed about the new measure.
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