2,180 children contracted COVID-19 in Ghana – Research
A total of 2,180 children between the ages of 0 to 18 contracted COVID-19 in Ghana, that is according to research conducted by Child Rights International.
Executive Director, Bright Appiah, said most of the children who contracted the virus were asymptomatic and were not hospitalised.
“The nationwide data shows that from March 11 to November 9, 2020, out of 49,202 who contracted the COVID-19 virus, 2,180 children below 18 years have contracted the virus representing 4.43% of the total contraction rate in Ghana.”
He further noted that a greater number of the children who contracted the virus were girls, but the majority of those who died were boys.
“Majority of them are girls but if you also look at those who have died as a result of COVID, majority of them are boys. So that is the outlook of COVID situation in Ghana and what we have not determined is whether or not children have the capacity or are potential spreaders or transmitters of the COVID to their age cohorts or to the vulnerable.”
The research used both quantitative and qualitative methods for collecting data.
The data collected sampled 589 communities, towns, and cities, in addition to nationwide data on COVID-19 provided by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
Secondary data from other sources were also included in the research.
Ghana has seen a sharp rise in its active COVID-19 cases over the three weeks.
Authorities have attributed the latest development to the low level of compliance with safety precautions.
Managers of enclosed work environments have therefore been advised to step up compliance measures to stop the spread of the virus.
Within a period of three weeks, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Ghana has increased by more than 700 cases.
As of November 18, 2020, Ghana’s COVID-19 case count stood at 50,457.
Out of this, 48,710 persons had either recovered or have been discharged, leaving the country’s active case count at 1,424.
323 people have died after contracting the virus.
Per the Ghana Health Service’s regional breakdown, the Greater Accra Region tops the list of regions with a total of 27,116 cases.
The Ashanti Region followed with 11,074.
Western Region came third with 3,022 COVID-19 cases.