Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, has suggested that the increasing cases of COVID-19 recorded may be due to the Delta Variant.
Speaking in an interview, he noted that, although findings have not been established yet, he believes the high transmissibility of the new variant may account for the rise in new cases.
“It is likely that the numbers we are recording now are from the Delta Variant but for now we don’t have that information. But it was said that Achimota School had recorded the Delta Variant and we have not been able to demonstrate that it is scattered all across. But looking at the new cases rising, it is possible that it is the effect of the new variant.”
Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe
Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe further lamented about the neglect of COVID-19 protocols;as he observed that many people in town do not wear nose masks. He further urged the general public to continue adhering to the protocols to help mitigate the spread of the virus.
“One thing we need to carefully consider is the adherence to the COVID protocols. The adherence to the protocols helps us to fight against any kind of variant. So I will appeal to Ghanaians to adhere to the protocols. What has helped us is that, for now, we don’t have very severe diseases so we need to wear our masks.”
Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe
COVID surge due to under-testing
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Chair of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA),;Dr Ernest Yorke, has acknowledged that his outfit is undoubtedly under-testing COVID-19 cases,;especially with the new Delta variant that has entered the country.
He said there is a surge in the COVID-19 cases in recent times because;the Association is inadequate in actively testing for new cases of the virus in the country and the relaxing of the safety protocols by the general public.
Dr Yorke,;therefore, urged government to seriously revamp the testing regime in the country to embark on thorough testing within the communities in order to be abreast with the real COVID-19 situation in the country.
He, however, refuted claims that his outfit is under-reporting the true COVID-19 cases in the country and that the true numbers are doctored for political reasons and purposes by the government.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS), confirmed that the highly transmissible strain of COVID-19 which originated from India,;Delta variant, has been detected within the Ghanaian population.
The Ministry of Information,;which confirmed the development, said the relevant agencies are taking steps to ensure that it is contained. Although the strain of the virus had already been detected in Ghana,;it was among some persons who arrived in the country from abroad.
Also, the Ghana Health Service confirmed an outbreak of the highly transmissible COVID-19 strain,;Delta Variant, in a Senior High School in Accra.
The Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, indicated that the affected students were mostly asymptomatic and were responding to treatment.
