A laboratory worker places a test tube containing a patient's sample into a box during coronavirus detection tests in the virology research labs at UZ Leuven university hospital in Leuven, Belgium, on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. China has kick-started a clinical trial to speedily test a drug for the novel coronavirus infection as the nation rushes therapies for those afflicted and scours for vaccines to protect the rest. Photographer: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Bloomberg via Getty Images

COVID19: Amenfi West records three suspected cases

By Eric Nana Gyetuah On Mar 31, 2020

A Chinese national, and two Ghanaians have developed symptoms similar to the novel corona virus disease at Semeraboi and Asankragwa in the Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region. Health officials in the area have taken samples of the individuals to the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR), to be tested for coronavirus, and are awaiting results. This is the first three suspected cases the district is recording, since the outbreak in Ghana early this month.

Health director for the Amenfi West Municipality, Mary Magdalene Arthur tells Skyy News one of them has a recent travel history from Tamale whilst the remaining two of the suspected individuals have no travel history. According to her, symptoms developed by the victims which include dry cough, and temperatures of 38.2 degrees Celsius, etc. fall within the case description of coronavirus, however they cannot be described as COVID-19 patients until the results are confirmed by KCCR. The Chinese according to her operates a casino where patrons from Kumasi in Particular travel to play during the weekends.

“We have taken samples for suspected case to the KCCR awaiting results, we have not confirmed yet. They involve one Chinese who has been in the municipality for the past two years, but according to him, because they have a casino, some of his colleagues travel from Kumasi during the weekends to join them. He has developed symptoms that falls within what looks like that of a coronavirus patient, that is why we are investigating,” she noted.

The other two Ghanaians were detected upon a tip off. According to her, the directorate, with support of the immigration, followed up on the tip off, and met the two with same symptoms.

“And the other two they are Ghanaians, it was a tip off, we went there and conducted interviews and we realized it will be better to take their samples. One of them have a recent travel history from Tamale, and the other Ghanaian, we realized had already embarked on self-quarantine in his home so we went there and interviewed him. We realized there was the need for us to take the samples,” she indicated.

According to her, the municipality has begun contact tracing, whilst the three have been quarantined for surveillance.

Story: Eric Nana Gyetuah