Two MPs, parliamentary staff asked to self-quarantine over COVID-19 scare
Two Members of Parliament and five Parliamentary Service staff have been directed to go into self-quarantine over the COVID-19 scare as they reportedly returned from Japan and India, respectively, recently.
The MPs are Binduri legislator, Dr Robert Baba Kuganab-Lem; and Ayawaso East lawmaker, Mahama Nasser Toure.
The decision complies with the mandatory 14-day self-isolation health authorities are prescribing for persons returning from coronavirus endemic countries.
Together, Japan and India have recorded 1,107 cases and 36 deaths.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the affected persons must observe the necessary protocols, to prevent the possible spread of the virus, if they contracted it from the various countries they visited.
“… and to stay outside to enable the period of safety to take place before they come, Mr Speaker, I speak in particular for the case of the Honourable Dr Robert Kuganab-Lem, the member for Binduri, who just arrived by Ethiopian Airways from Tokyo.
“Mr Speaker, the Honourable Nasser Mahama is coming tomorrow and he should stay out. Parliament is sitting tomorrow, and he will be coming tomorrow, but when he comes, he should stay out,” he said.
He was not done. He added, “Mr Speaker, there are some staff who are also being advised to stay out. Some of them including their spouses, like Mr and Mrs Ekow Akwa, they went to Nigeria; Mr Kwesi Amankwa; then we have Agnes Florence from Records; Abdul Fataw Alhassan and others whom we have advised to stay outside for the time being. They will need a certificate of clearance to come back”, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.
COVID-19 cases in Ghana
Two more cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed, increasing infections to 11.
The two cases which were recorded in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region involved a 59-year-old woman and a 61-year old Lebanese.
The tests conducted at the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research for Infectious Diseases and confirmed the infections.
The woman returned from the UK and reported at a private hospital with fever, cough and running nose. She had a temperature of 39 °C, checking the list of symptoms for coronavirus.
The 61-year Lebanese is a male trader who also reported a fever and a temperature of 39.4 °C
The two cases recorded on Thursday comes after the government confirmed two others earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, health experts have warned of more cases.