COVID19: All 94 contacts of infected UG student test negative

The University of Ghana has announced that all 94 primary contacts of a student who tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19) have tested negative after going through the mandatory 14-day period of quarantine.

The University says the contacts have since been bused to their destinations in and outside Accra.

It will be recalled that on March 13, 2020, an imported case of COVID-19 involving a non-resident student who returned to Ghana from an international trip was reported.

As a preventive and precautionary measure, lectures on all University of Ghana campuses, including clinical rotations and practicals, were suspended on March 15, 2020, by the University. This was followed by the closure of the University on March 16, 2020, in compliance with the directive by the President of the Republic of Ghana.

"Eighty-two (82) students and twelve (12) employees were identified as primary contacts. Seventy-four (74) of the primary contacts (students) who were present on campus at the time the University received information about the COVID 19 case, were asked to self-quarantine on campus to avoid the risk of community spread," a public notice by the UG Registrar said.

"The remaining eight (8) who had already left the campus for their homes as well as the employees, were advised by the University of Ghana Emergency Response Team (UG-ERT) and the National Contact Tracing Team (NCTT) to self-quarantine at home.

The University admitted that it faced some initial logistical challenges before the contacts were relocated to a quarantine facility on campus which paved the way for easy management of the situation.

The students have since left quarantine for their homes in and outside Accra.

"With all the primary contacts (students and staff) testing negative for COVID-19 as certified by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, and with the closure of the University, buses were made available by the University of Ghana to convey students who live in and outside Accra to their various destinations, such as Obuasi, Kumasi, Tamale, Upper West, Cape Coast and Takoradi. They have also received the necessary counselling and education on precautionary measures with respect to COVID-19".

Meanwhile, the affected student in isolation at a National Quarantine facility is reported to be making steady progress," the statement said.