Head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), John Nkengasong says Africa’s coronavirus case fatality rate has risen alarmingly to 2.5% higher than the global level of 2.2%.
Earlier, Africa’s rate had been below the global average and Mr. Nkengasong described the fatality rate as ‘very worrying’ and a concern for all. Indeed, the number of African nations with a rate of deaths-per-cases higher than the global average is growing.
There are 21 countries so far with rates higher than 3%. That said, the WHO-Africa believes the fatalities are not dramatically worse than other regions even though the South African variant is said to be very infectious.
As of yesterday (Monday, 25 January 2021), six additional deaths had taken Ghana’s total COVID-19 fatalities to 367. The active cases had also jumped to 3, 286 from 2,413. Ghana has so far recorded a total of 60,794 cases with 57,141 recoveries and discharges.
The Ghana Health Service has confirmed that the virus has now spread to all 16 regions of the country. The situation has changed since President Akufo-Addo stated during his 22nd national address to the nation that, 13 out of the 16 regions in the country had recorded positive cases.
Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has confirmed that the country is witnessing a surge in cases. Briefing the nation on the situation, Information Minister-designate Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said there are a limited number of beds and ICU facilities for people who experience severe and critical conditions.
That is why it is extremely important for Ghanaians to be overly conscious and not let their guard down. If anything at all, we ought to maintain the same vigilance as when the first outbreak was announced a year ago, and keep religiously to the prescribed safety protocols.
Indeed, if the country keeps witnessing a constant increase in the coronavirus cases there is a possibility of new restrictions to be put in place, looking at the current trend of daily infections, says Information Minister-designate Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
The economy has suffered enough and we must avoid a situation where we enter a lockdown period again. Oppong-Nkrumah minced no words when he said the government might decide to introduce new restrictions to force the citizenry to obey the safety protocols.
The rising numbers pose a threat to economic recovery.
