Northern Region records first COVID-19 death

The Northern Region has recorded its first COVID-19 death.

The deceased, a female believed to be in her 70s, reported to the Tamale Central Hospital (TCH) over the weekend but died on Monday, May 11, 2020 while on admission.

Her sample tested at the Public Health Reference Laboratory (PHRL) at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) returned positive for the Coronavirus disease.

The deceased is also the first COVID-19 case to be recorded at the TCH.

According to the Medical Superintendent of the TCH, Dr Mahamadu Mbiniwaya, the deceased had no travel history and also no physical contact with any positive case.

He told Graphic Online that 29 hospital staff who came into contact with the deceased have gone into self-quarantine for two weeks, while their samples have been taken for testing.

He added that the staff would be monitored on daily basis and that contact tracing has also commenced.