To cap the surge in COVID-19 cases in recent times, the Greater Accra Regional Security Council has ordered the immediate closure of all beaches in the region.
The action comes after health professionals expressed concerns that if nothing is done, the country could be thrown into a fourth wave.
The Ghana Health Service reveals that the capital, Greater Accra, contributes to about 90% of the cases so far recorded in the country. Currently, Ghana has an active case of about 3,165 in the last few days.
Regional Minister of Greater Accra, Henry Quartey said, “effective immediately, all beaches in the greater Accra region shall be closed down before, during and after the Christmas and new year festivities”
He added that the COVID-19 task force will work with all stakeholders to enforce the directive and persons found culpable will be arrested and prosecuted.
The Director for Public Health, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, also indicated that compliance to the protocols has declined. He attributes the surge to the new variant, Omicron.
“For the past 2 weeks, our case has gone very high, about 2000 persons in less than 2 weeks. We used to get less than 10 cases a day now, we have more than 160 cases”.
With many of the cases being imported, he indicated that, “when you have such numbers coming from the airport, it tells you that there are a number of people who are incubating and are in the community. They are all adding up to the entire situation”.
With regards to community spread in the festive season, he stresses that the preventive protocols must be adhered to so as movements go on, the transmission will not go along with it.
“People will be moving from Accra to their hometowns. They will move the virus from here into their communities, so I think that it is about time we adhere to the protocols and also get ourselves vaccinated to minimise the surge that we are in”. he added.
The council also directed that persons who don’t wear facemasks will not be allowed to board public transport. These resolutions by the council are to ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocols to help curb the spread.
