Overview of COVID-19

Anaman Stephen
HPU-ERHD
 What is COVID-19
• An infectious disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-
CoV-2).

• The first two cases in Ghana were confirmed on 12 March 2020 after returning from
Norway and Turkey

• Disease : coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

• Virus: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

• First discovered in Wuhan China, December 2019

• 30 January 2020: The Director-General declared the novel coronavirus outbreak (2019-
nCoV) a PHEIC
 At Risk Group
• Everyone is at risk
• But people at higher risk for Severe Illness:
Older Adults
People with medical conditions
Hypertension
Diabetes
Obesity
Stroke
COPD
Asthma
Smoking
Cystic fibrosis
Immunocompromised states (including HIV, Cancers etc)
Pregnancy
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic liver disease
Sickle cell disease
Heart conditions (heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies etc)
Thalassemia
People Who Need Extra Precautions

• Health care workers

• Other people involved in the Covid-19 response
• Pregnant women and breast feeding mothers
• Students
• Workers
• Market women
 Signs and Symptoms
Wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe
illness. These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus:
Most common symptoms: Other symptoms:
• Fever and or chills • Headache
• Cough • Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Shortness of breath or difficulty
• Muscle or body aches
breathing
• New loss of taste or smell
• Fatigue • Conjunctivitis
• Rash on skin or discoloration of
fingers or toes
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhoea
 How does COVID-19 spread
• Spreads primarily from person to person through:
• small droplets from the nose or mouth
• which are expelled when a person with COVID-19:
• coughs
• sneezes, or
• speaks.
• and people breathe in these droplets from an infected person
• These droplets can land on objects and surfaces around the person such as:
• tables,
• doorknobs and
• Handrails, etc.
• People can become infected by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their
eyes, nose or mouth.
• Some reports have indicated that people with no symptoms can transmit the virus.
National Strategic Response, Overview
(High level strategy from the Office of the President)

Limit & Stop Importation of Cases Care of the Sick

 Working to limit and stop importation of  Preparation to provide healthcare and
appropriate health interventions
cases

Detect & Contain Cases Impact on Social & Economic Life

 Identification, testing and isolation of cases,  Minimize disruption to the social and economic life
which will allow for effective containment of Ghanaians, especially the vulnerable

Domestic Capacity & Self-Reliance

Slowdown Community Spread  Increase the domestic capacity of all sectors to
 Putting social distancing measures in place to
deal with existing and future shocks, in line with
slow down spread of virus Ghana Beyond Aid
 National Response Actions
• Quarantine measures
• Closure of Borders
• Social Distancing
• Closure of institutions
• Travel and Movement Restrictions
• Vaccine and treatment research
Positivity rate by Surveillance type for samples
tested in Ghana March-June 2020

Surveillance Type Total no. Tests Total no. positive Test Positivity rate

Routine Surveillance 105,825 7,136 6.74

Contact tracing 189,042 10,215 5.40

Total 294,867 17,351 5.88

 Count of Cases per Region
Summary of cases in Ghana Region Cases
Greater Accra Region 10,087
Confirmed Cases 18,134
Ashanti Region 3,676
Western Region 1,556
Central Region 973
Recoveries/Discharge 13,550
Eastern Region 668
Volta Region 346
Upper East Region 274
New Cases 393
Northern Region 137
Oti Region 112
Active Cases 4,367
Western North Region 102
Bono East Region 89
Deaths 117
Savannah Region 42
Upper West Region 40
Bono Region 18
Ahafo Region 8
North East Region 6
COVID-19 Hotspot Map as at 1st July,
2020 Distribution by Gender
De-isolation Criteria For All Laboratory Confirmed COVID-19 Patients

• ASYMPTOMATIC
DE-ISOLATE - 14 days after initial positive test. (date sample was
taken)

• SYMPTOMATIC
DE-ISOLATE- 14 days after symptom onset, plus at least 3 days without
symptoms.

Point to Note:
• A repeat PCR test is no longer necessary for de-isolation.
• Patients after de-isolation are to be reviewed at LEAST TWICE before finally
discharged from care.
 Self Quarantine
• This is a self-restriction of a person’s activities when not ill with COVID-19.
The purpose is to protect unexposed members of the community from
contracting the disease.

Who should be self quarantined?

• Travelers coming from countries/territories/ areas with active transmission
of COVID-19 as designated by the MoH/GHS shall be in self quarantine for
14 days
• Any individual who has been in close contact with a person confirmed to be
having COVID-19 should self quarantine for 14 days since the last contact
with the confirmed case
 Isolation
• Separation of ill persons who have COVID-19 from
those who are healthy.
• Isolation restricts the movement of ill persons to help
stop the spread of COVID-19
 Processes for Effective Self
Quarantine

• Stay in an airy room away from other people

• If you are working, stay at home for the entire duration
of the quarantine
• Ensure that you have adequate food, water, toiletries and
appropriate medical treatment for existing medical
conditions
 Effective Self Quarantine

• Always wash your hands with soap under running water for 20
seconds or use an alcohol-based hand rub/sanitizer

• If you complete the assigned days of self quarantine without any

symptoms, the health authorities will no longer follow you up and
you will be free to go about your usual activities

• Refer to the Self-quarantine Guide for further information

Safety Guidelines 1/2
• Improve Water, Sanitation and Hygeine(WASH) practices and waste
management
• Advise on the use of face mask
• Protocols on social distancimg
• Rational use of PPEs
• Risk assessment and management of exposure of health workers involved in
Covid-19 response
Safety Guidelines 2/2
• Infection, prevention and control at the work place, school, markets,
sport events, funerals, parties, religious gatherings, restaurants and
hotels and other public and private social gatherings
• Infection, prevention and control during health care of Covid-19
patients (both at health facilities and at home)
• Infection, prevention and control for the safe management of Covid-19
related dead bodies
• Infection, prevention and control for long term Covid-19 care facilities
 Testing Strategy
• Gold standard RT-PCR testing
• Testing is conducted on:
• Suspected cases
• Contacts
• People under mandatory quarantine (returnees)
• Test at risk groups e.g. food vendors, drivers, driver assistants etc
• Test persons in close proximity of confirmed cases (sweeping)

• RDT testing currently not been used in Ghana

• Only designated labs conduct the test in Ghana
 Summary of Covid-19, 1/2
• Most cases are asymptomatic
• Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing hospital
treatment
• Around 1 out of every 5 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and
develops difficulty breathing
• Mortalities are high among the aged and people with comorbidity
• A preventable vaccine has not yet been discovered
• All countries around the world has been affected
Summary of Covid-19, 2/2
• International travel and trade has been seriously affected
• Airports have been closed across the world
• Most school are yet to re-open
• Religious gatherings are widely restricted
• The use of face mask has become mandatory in most places
• Hand washing has been found to be effective in infection prevention
and control
 Stakeholders
• Multiple stakeholders have been involved in all aspects of the Response
• Track
• Health, National Security, Local Government, Communication Ministries, Private
developers of Apps
• Test
• Health (Public and Private laboratories)
• Treat
• Hospitals, Isolation centres, hotels etc
• Easing the Restrictions
• Stakeholder consultations with entities in the health, labour, religious, chieftaincy,
educational, hospitality, transport, sports, tourism and creative arts sectors
 Track
• Multi-Sectoral Contact Tracing
• Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service
• Epidemiologists
• Biomedical Scientists
• Ministry of Communication
• National Security
• Immigration
• Volunteers
Preventive Measures
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC

• Stay at home; Observe social distancing; Avoid handshaking/hugging

• Avoid social gatherings
• Wash your hands often with soap under running water for at least 20 seconds.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or bent elbow, dispose used tissue in
a closed bin, and then wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects or surfaces such as remote
controls and doorknobs.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Always wear a mask, particularly when leaving home
• Toll-free numbers for assistance: 112, 0509497700 & 0558439868
 UPDATES FROM THE PRESIDENT

AUTHENTIC SOURCES UPDATES FROM MINISTER OF HEALTH, DIRECTOR

GENERAL , DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH ,
OF INFORMATION DIRECTOR OF HEALTH PROMOTION

UPDATES FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL

COORDINATOR

http://ghanahealthservice.org/covid19/ UPDATE FROM MINISTER OF INFORMATION &

DEPUTIES

WEBSITE AND WHO

SITUATIONAL REPORT
THANK YOU