COVID-19 suspected death of policeman: Samples taken of 244 contacts

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) last Sunday took the samples of 244 people who came into contact with the station officer of the Koforidua Central Police who died on Friday, May 29, 2020, allegedly from COVID-19.

The contacts were made of his colleagues, family, inmates at the cells, families of police personnel at the Central Police Station barracks and some media friends of the late station officer.

According to a source, samples of health workers at the Koforidua Police Clinic and Newland Hospital where the deceased passed on were also taken.

The chief inspector died while on admission at the Koforidua Regional Hospital for few days, having visited the Police Clinic in Koforidua and Newland Hospital — a private hospital - before his death.

The cause of death was not immediately known until sample results released after his death reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

Medical team

The source said a medical team from the GHS led by Dr Abu Armel, the Public Health Physician at the Eastern Regional Health Directorate, and the Regional Disease Control Officer, Sally Tetteh Emmanuel, visited the Central Police Station at the weekend to inform officers at the station that the death was due to COVID-19. The team, therefore, took samples of occupants at the police station and the barracks and close associates who had had contact with the deceased police officer.

According to the source, the samples had been taken to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research for testing.

The source urged residents of the New Juaben Municipality to observe all the protocols in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

Fruit seller

In a related development, a fruit seller near the Koforidua Police Training School at Galloway has tested positive for the virus.

She was among a number of police recruits, police personnel and those staying around the police bungalows at Galloway to be tested. The woman has currently been quarantined.