The Minister of Health Hon Kwaku Agyemang Manu has announced compulsory wearing of face masks at all times especially when visiting public places where social distancing cannot be observed as the government intensifies the fight against deadly novel coronavirus.
According to the Health Minister, in line with government’s quest to prevent the spread of the pandemic, the ministry is directing the wearing of face masks “in all public places where it may be difficult to maintain social distancing.
Speaking on OTEC FM’s Breakfast show dubbed ‘Nyansapo’ on Monday April 27, 2020, Hon Kwaku Agyemang Manu who is also the Member of Parliament for Dormaa Central in the Bono Region, urged the general public is encouraged to wear mask or face covering when going out whether sick or not or attending to a sick person.
The directive from the ministry is backed by law, Act, 2012 (Act 851). Section 170(1) of the Act mandates the Minister with powers to order an individual to take a preventive measure in respect of public health matters.
‘’Those required to wear the masks are food vendors and sellers at markets, commercial vehicle drivers and attendants, commuters on public transports, persons in public and commercial centres, facilities and buildings including but not limited to offices, bars, workshops, restaurants, sports arenas and spas, saloons, shopping malls, churches, clinics and hospitals and all other facilities accessible to the public whether privately or publicly owned’’ he told the programme’s host Captain Koda.
Citizens have been advised to clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer before putting on a mask.
They must ensure that the mask fully covers the mouth and nose with no gaps between the face and the mask.
COVID-19 cases in Ghana have increased to 1,550, the Ghana Health Service said on Sunday, April 26 2020.
It is, thus, up by 271 more cases.
Also, one more person has succumbed, bringing the number of deaths to eleven while 21 more persons have recovered.
Of the 271 new cases, 75 were detected through routine surveillance and 196 through enhanced contact-tracing.
So far, a total of 100,622 tests have been across the country by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine.
Regional breakdown
Greater Accra Region – 1,347
Ashanti Region – 69
Eastern Region – 57
Oti Region – 17
Central Region – 17
Northern Region – 13
Volta Region – 10
Upper West Region – 8
Upper East Region – 8
North-East Region – 2
Western Region – 1
Western North Region – 1
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com
