President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged Ghanaians to comply strictly with the protocols on hygiene and social distancing to stem a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He maintained that the country cannot afford a reversal of the gains made so far in the fight against the disease, and thus, all must ensure that no effort was spared to keep COVID-19 at bay, especially in an electioneering period.
President Akufo-Addo made the call on Sunday in a televised national adress to give an update on the measures being adopted by Government to curb the spread of the disease.
He noted that though Ghana had made significant strides to reduce the footprints of the disease in the country, the full scope of the pandemic remained uncertain, as many nations that had slowed its curve, were now taking heavy beatings by the virus.
“When you take a close look at the measures some other countries are having to take, including imposing night-time curfews and partial lockdowns, declaring state of emergencies, limiting the numbers of people permitted at public gatherings, and mandatory fining persons for not wearing masks, all in the bid to contain the second wave of the virus, we, in Ghana, have been spared all these developments and restrictions. We must, thus, be doing something right,” he noted.
Ghana as at Friday, October 16, 2020, had 398 active cases, with 46,664 persons fully recovered from the virus, 310 deaths out of a total of 510,074 persons tested.
Currently, the statisitics indicate a reduced epidemic activity in the country, with a downturn in daily infections from the hundreds to 25 infections a day. The isolation centres are almost empty.
But the President cautioned that though the outlook of Ghana’s fight against COVID-19 remained optimistic, “I would like to reiterate that this virus remains something of a mystery, and we should always rather err on the side of caution, and continue to observe the protocols that have brought us to where we are. “
“It is important that we maintain this positive position, especially with a few weeks to the holding of the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections,” he emphasized.
“I have said before, let us continue to look out for one another, and remain each other’s keeper, and I am confident that, by doing so, we will emerge victorious in the fight against COVID-19.
“Zero active cases must be the goal, and I have no doubt that, together, and with the help of God, this too shall pass, for the Battle is still the Lord’s,” he added.
The country’s land and sea borders remain closed. And all other restrictions on public gathering and funerals also remain unchanged.
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