Coronavirus: We won’t rule out the option of evacuation – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo says the government will not rule out the option of evacuating stranded Ghanaian students in Wuhan, China over the coronavirus.

“We know that no amount of logistics will make up for the extreme stress and trauma these young people are going through…

“The government is in constant talk with the experts on the subject, and they advise that the best principle of public health is to confine the disease to the area of origin. But we have not ruled out the option of evacuating the students from Wuhan if that becomes necessary,” he said while delivering the 2020 State of the Nation Address on Thursday.

The students had made several appeals for evacuation back home over fears of being infected with the virus.

Coronavirus: ‘Do you want us to die before you evacuate us?’ – Ghanaian students in Wuhan beg again

The students expressed disappointment in the government over what they said was the government’s deaf ears to their plight.

But it has fallen on deaf ears.

Coronavirus: We’re disappointed in government- Ghanaian students in Wuhan

Delivering his fourth SONA, boycotted by Minority MPs,  President Akufo-Addo said the government had put in place measures to ensure there was not a spread of the virus should the government evacuate the students.

He, however, advised against the politicisation of the crisis.

“We have a delicate situation on our hands, Mr Speaker, and it does not benefit anybody who tries to score points by introducing ill-judged politics into this ongoing medical conundrum,” he stated.

Parents of the stranded students in Wuhan gave the government a 72-hour ultimatum to evacuate their wards back home.

Parents of Ghanaian students in Wuhan give gov’t 72-hour ultimatum to evacuate their wards

The ultimatum will end on Friday, February 21, 2020. According to them, they would advise themselves if the government could not evacuate their wards back home.

So far, China has recorded over 72,000 infected cases whiles over 1,886 deaths recorded.