I have COVID-19; but I was at Korle Bu isolation centre not ICU – Carlos Ahenkorah

A Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah has clarified media reports suggesting that he was admitted at the Intensive  Care Unit  (ICU) at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital after contracting COVID-19.

The Member of Parliament for Tema West says, although he had tested positive for Coronavirus, he was rather at the Hospital’s isolation centre receiving treatment.

“Yes, I do have COVID-19 but I am asymptomatic. I spent a night at Korle Bu to be checked on by the experts at the Isolation Center.  My doctor took my samples and asked me to go into self-isolation which I have been since last week. So on Wednesday, I was admitted there at 5 pm. This morning [Thursday] at 11 am, he [my doctor] discharged me. I wasn’t at ICU and ICU is not the same as Isolation,” he said on Eyewitness News.

Earlier reports on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, were that Carlos Ahenkorah together with the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) campaign manager for the 2020 general elections, Peter Mac Manu had been admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital after both tested positive for COVID-19.

It came shortly after the death of the former General Secretary of the Governing New Patriotic Party, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly referred to as Sir John.

“My attention has been drawn to messages circulating on social media to the effect that I am in ICU after testing positive to COVID-19 sending worrying signals and misinformation to my well-wishers and party faithful. I must categorically state that I am not in ICU neither am I in Korle-Bu at the moment. I was admitted for an overnight review on my COVID status at the Isolation in Korle Bu yesterday around 5 pm and discharged at 11 am this morning,” Mr. Ahenkorah said in a separate statement.

Why I went to registration centres while positive

Meanwhile, Mr. Ahenkorah has admitted and justified why he decided to visit some a voter registration centre to assess the ongoing nationwide voter registration exercise being organised by the Electoral Commission despite being positive for the virus.

“Yes, I have COVID-19 but on the first day of the registration, there was a problem at one of the centres. But knowing my status that I am asymptomatic, I visited only one centre to check on the issue. I never got in the midst of people. I drove in my car and got there, got down and spoke far away with the EC officer who explained the issue to me. I told her I will report this to their boss and then I just left. I was very careful. It is important for people like us to know their status because whether you like it not, we will go into the midst of people”, he added.

Source: Citi