Gold Fields' Tarkwa mine confirms first COVID-19 case

Gold Fields Ghana (GFG) has confirmed a positive COVID-19 case at its Tarkwa mine.

A statement issued on Tuesday said the test result of the patient was received on May 3, 2020, from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

According to GFG, “the patient, who is a worker of one of our mining contractors, has been isolated and receiving treatment. The worker's wife also tested positive and has been isolated as well. The couple is in a stable condition.”

The GFG assured it’s members that they were on high alert and have activated COVID-19 emergency response protocols to contain the spread of the virus at their operations and within the host communities.

“Following confirmation of the case, Gold Fields and the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal rapid response team have begun aggressive contact tracing among the workforce and within the mine host communities samples of work colleagues who have been identified through the ongoing contact tracing exercise have been taken. These employees are also undergoing self-isolation for 14 days,” the statement said.

“We have also tracked the employee's movement over the past few weeks, and together with the municipal team are tracing other people with whom he may have come into contact within the Tarkwa community,” the company added.