Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has disclosed that the number of critical cases recorded by the Service in the country are relatively low.

He indicated that although the country is currently experiencing its fourth wave, there has been a sharp decline and he hopes the positive decline in critical cases continues. Dr Kuma-Aboagye explained that cases among international arrivals are on downward trend even though this is actually the season that he expects the country to have the “highest number” of people testing positive at the airport as it has been the case in the past.

“The proportion of critical cases are relatively low even though this is the highest wave we’ve ever had with the largest number of people getting infected. But hospitalization and number of deaths are significantly low. All regions have active cases as we speak, like what we had in November. We have a significant reduction in active cases in the last one week as the new cases slow down and those who are recovering are increasing”.

Giving update on the COVID situation in the country, the GHS Director General revealed that so far, GHS has confirmed 155, 242 cases with an overall positivity rate of 7%. According to him, the total recoveries is about 149, 623 with recorded number of deaths standing at 1, 364.

“Currently, we have 40 severe cases and 11 are critical. I must add that yes, we are talking about Omicron but we still have some Delta in the system. So far, we have tested almost 752,000 arrivals at the airport… About 41% are females and 49% males and the vaccinated are about 80% and unvaccinated, 20%”.

Vaccination program in the country

Dr Kuma-Aboagye indicated that per each wave, the impact of the last wave was quite significant save the measures put in place to avert drastic spread of the virus. He explained that the wave could have been more “prolonged” than what is being experienced in the country currently.

“In December 2021, we reported 2, 383 positives at the airport… In January we have recorded already 1, 184. So, the airport has actually increased the number of cases”.
Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye

Dr Kuma-Aboagye emphasized that is the first time that in a “monthly aggregation”, the airport comes in second after the Greater Accra Region in terms of positive cases recorded.

Commenting on the number of vaccines the country has received so far, Dr Kuma-Aboagye revealed that government has received a little over 25 million doses of vaccines. Out of that number, he noted that it has distributed almost 15 million already, with a current stock of about 10.5 million doses.

The GHS boss noted that COVAX has contributed 68%, government of Ghana purchased about “21% plus” and the country through some “bilateral donations” has received about 10% of the vaccines.

“We are expecting about 1.5 million doses very soon, the date is yet to be announced… So far, 34.8% of the population have received at least one dose and a little over 16% haven’t been fully vaccinated”.