The Hon. Minister for health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu was in Parliament to brief the House on Ghana’s state of CSM and COVID-19 and how his Minstry and the government has put in measures in dealing with the situation.
Mr. Manu said, 273 cases of CSM in the Upper West region with 43 deaths as at last Friday 15th May, 2020.
He said, the Majority of the cases has been caused by Neiserria Meningitidis (N,M) Sero X of which there is no vaccine and in fact approximately sixty percent (60%) of the samples analyzed were NM (sero X) a strain with no vaccine globally as at today due to its rarity at causing epidemic.
The minister explained further as to areas that has also been affected with the disease saying, on 17th of May, 2020, fourty two new cases were recorded which brought the total cases to three hundred and fifteen (315) and have unfortunately recorded two more new deaths since last two count two weeks ago bringing the total number of deaths to fourty five (45).
He explained that, two weeks ago, JIRAPA MUNICIPALITY recorded eight (8) cases within a defined window and made the municipality cross the alert as well as the epidemic line.
The health minister touched on the deadly COVID-19 pandemic saying, four million, seven hundred and ninety five thousand cases (4,795,000) has been recorded worldwide with over three hundred and sixteen thousand deaths (316,000).
He said, the total case count for Ghana stood at five thousand, seven hundred and thirty five (5,735) with one thousand, seven hundred and fifty four recoveries.
Twenty nine (29) deaths has been recorded so far and most of were with comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes and other organ pathologies had unfortunately led to these deaths.
Mr. Manu further detailed that, when one thousand, seven hundred and fifty four cases (1,754) and twenty nine (29) deaths are subtracted from the total cases count of five thousand, seven hundred and thirty five (5,735) one would arrive at three thousand, nine hundred and fifty two cases (3,952) representing Ghana’s current disease burden and are referred to as active cases.
