COVID-19: Fear grips residents in Volta Region as lockdown escapees troop in
Residents of the Volta Region are worried that the region may record a possible case of the novel COVID-19, following a surge in returnees from Accra and Kumasi in the wake of restriction of movement in the two metropolises last Monday.
Lorry stations were choked while vehicles designated for destinations in the Volta Region were scarce last Saturday and Sunday as huge numbers of residents clamoured for transportation back home.
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The sudden influx of the returnees has, however, heightened fears among residents who expressed concern that the transmission rate of the virus might increase, especially when mandatory quarantine was not being carried out.
There were also scores of stranded travellers at Hohoe who were reportedly en route to the Northern Region.
Though the Volta Region has not recorded any case of the virus infection, some pubs in Ho and Hohoe continued to see an increase in patronage. Lockdown escapees, in particular, made the most of the night with reunions despite the directive on social distancing. However, a greater number of residents stayed in their homes for fear of being exposed to the virus.
Directives
Consequently, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, in a release copied to the press last Monday, directed that "all individuals who have returned to the region in the last 14 days are to undergo self-quarantine in line with the health service's protocol".
He also directed the health service to provide emergency contact numbers for the various districts and CHPS zones to enable individuals who develop symptoms to get in touch for the appropriate and prompt attention.
The release also indicated that action was being expedited, in collaboration with the Ho Teaching Hospital and the University of Health and Allied Sciences, to certify a laboratory to make it one of the few facilities in the country to test for COVID-19 with quarantine facilities identified in various parts of the region in order to facilitate mandatory quarantine for those who happen to fall in that category.
Personnel from the security services continue to patrol the Ghana-Togo border to ensure that people from neighbouring countries do not use unapproved entry points to gain access to the Volta Region.
Awareness
Residents of Ho, including business owners, have, however, exhibited a strong awareness of COVID-19 disease and its preventive measures. Various entrances to several shops and business outlets had been mounted with Veronica buckets to encourage handwashing, while others provided hand sanitisers and flyers which had information on COVID-19.
The exercise has also been replicated in some rural areas.
Meanwhile, Dr Timothy Letsa, the Volta Regional Health Director, has expressed grave concern about the rising spate of misinformation among the public on the novel coronavirus pandemic, to the extent that people have created fear and panic in communities, a situation he describes as more deadly than the virus.
Dr Letsa at a recent briefing on the pandemic also expressed concerned that learned individuals had also been gripped with fear.
“Let’s apply a bit of elementary science in the fight against the coronavirus,” he said.
Meanwhile, 15 suspected cases of COVID-19 in the Volta and Oti regions sent to the Noguchi Memorial Centre for Medical Research have all tested negative.
