Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has updated Parliament on a recent spike in COVID-19 cases at the University of Ghana, assuring the public that the situation is under control and that there is no cause for panic.
Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 1, Mr Akandoh noted that although COVID-19 is no longer classified as a global health emergency, it continues to pose occasional risks.
He disclosed that 107 cases have so far been confirmed out of 316 suspected cases, all linked to the Omicron sub-variant. No hospitalisations or deaths have been recorded.
According to the minister, the outbreak was detected through Ghana’s national disease surveillance system and confirmed by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.
He said the spike in infections remains confined to the University of Ghana community and is believed to have been triggered by recent Hall Week celebrations during which COVID-19 safety protocols were largely ignored.
Mr Akandoh added that while COVID-19 vaccination is no longer part of Ghana’s routine immunisation programme, the government is taking steps to secure vaccines for vulnerable groups, especially the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
He also highlighted ongoing surveillance of other public health threats, including seasonal influenza, cholera, and MPOX. So far, 133 cases of MPOX have been confirmed, with no deaths reported.
Below is the full statement:
