Accra Technical University gets first COVID-19 case
The Accra Technical University – formerly known as Accra Poly, has recorded its first COVID-19 case. It is the second tertiary institution to record COVID-19 after the University of Ghana.
School authorities announced this to students on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.
According to a circular to the university community, the affected person is a national service personnel in one of the departments.
“The said person is currently in isolation at a medical facility and responding well to treatment. Six colleagues who came into contact with the confirmed Covid-19 patient, have been counseled, re-assured and their samples taken for laboratory testing” the circular.
According to the statement those who have been contact-traced with the infected person have been asked to self-isolate while waiting for the results of the test. The University Medical team and the Safety and Health Committee are however, in touch with the patient and contacts, to provide the needed medical and psychological support.
The ATU authorities, however, say they have begun moves to fumigate the affected offices and other areas.
It added “members of the University Community are entreated to remain calm while adhering strictly to the published personal protection etiquettes.”
The University of Ghana on March 15, 2020, suspended lectures and barred non-resident students from going to campus after one of its students tested positive for COVID-19.
Coronavirus: University of Ghana suspends lectures, as its student tests positive
The student was reported to have travelled from Dallas, US, to Accra on Monday, March 9. She had been to the campus of the University of Ghana (UG) and attended lectures at both the Business School (G2) lecture hall and the School of Pharmacy new laboratory and lecture halls.
Five people who interacted with the patient were kept in self-isolation to ensure their safety and that of others.
Schools Resume
The campus resumed full operations on June 15 after President Akufo-Addo gave final year students the green light to go back to the classrooms in order to write their final examinations.
All schools across the country were ordered to shut down on March 15, 2020, after Ghana recorded its first COVID-19 cases.
The shutdown directive by the president was to prevent the spread of the disease among students.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s COVID-19 cases have increased by 414 new cases, bring the total case count to 14,568 as of today Tuesday, June 23.
According to updates provided by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), a total of 10,907 people have also recovered.
The country’s COVID-19 related deaths jumped by 10, placing the death toll at 95.
Director-General of the GHS, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye revealed at a press briefing on Tuesday, that majority of the infected persons were males.