COCOBOD shuts down head office after several staff test positive
COCOBOD has announced it has shut down its Head Offices in Accra after several staff tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19.
The company said the temporal closure is to allow for fumigation.
A statement signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Boahen Aidoo said the COVID-19 cases were uncovered after the organization embarked on mass testing.
“The Management of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) wishes to bring to the attention of the general public that effective Wednesday, 8th July 2020 to Friday, 10th July 2020, all its Head Offices (Corporate / Subsidiary/ Divisions) in Accra will be closed down for fumigation exercise.
“This has become necessary due to the mass testing the organization is currently undertaking which has resulted in some staff testing positive for COVID-19,” the statement read.
It added contact tracing had begun as the affected staff had also been given the necessary medical attention.
The statement, however, urged individuals and companies with urgent business to contact COCOBOD via its online portal.
COCOBOD is not the first institution to shut down after the detection of COVID-19 cases within the company.
All staff were asked to work from home until the office was opened.
In a statement announcing the development, BOST said all affected staff had been asked to also self-isolate with immediate effect.
The cases were detected after mass testing of staff was conducted at the head office.
“The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited would like to announce for the information of the general public that it has closed down its head office at Dzorwulu in the Ayawaso West Municipality from Monday, 6th July to Monday 13 July 2020.
“This has become necessary due to a mass testing of staff carried out by the company at the head office in the wake of a staff of the IT department testing positive for the virus. After the mass testing, a number of staff tested positive and arrangements are being made for their treatment,” a statement from the Corporate Communications Department of BOST said.
The statement said its head office would be fumigated to “ensure the safety of staff is not compromised when work resumes.”
Meanwhile, Ghana’s premier hospital, Korle bu teaching hospital has suspended all non-emergency surgical cases as coronavirus cases spike at the facility.
The decision, according to the hospital, is to protect staff and patients.
The medical fraternity has had its share of coronavirus infections with some four (4) doctors succumbing to the disease and over 160 health workers infected by the virus.
“This measure is therefore to protect our clients and the rest of the staff who are still at post and providing care to patients” part of the statement read.
The hospital has, therefore, pleaded with other health facilities to transfer only dire surgical cases under the suspension period.
“Only dire emergency cases will be attended within the period” it read.
Ghana’s COVID-19 case count stood at 21,968 as of July 7, 2020. The country recorded 1,883 new cases in less than 24 hours.
Recoveries and discharges stood at 17,156 while 129 others have died.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kumah-Aboagye revealed 22 persons are in severe condition while six are in critical condition.
According to him, five out of the six critical cases are on ventilators.