Youngster’s COVID-19 death sparks fear in Walewale
A 19-year-old man has died from the COVID-19 virus in Walewale in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region, sparking unease among his family and health workers.
The deceased who was said to be an asthmatic patient died on admission at the Walewale Government Hospital after a short illness.
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He was confirmed positive after health officials suspected some symptoms of the virus on the deceased and sent samples to the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR) for testing.
Graphic Online has gathered that the deceased had no traveling history before he was taken ill and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
North East Region is the latest region to confirm a case of COVID-19 in Ghana. Ghana has officially recorded 378 COVID-19 cases as of April 9, 2020.
The West Mamprusi Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Issahaku Aremeyaw Somo who confirmed the incident to Graphic Online said the Municipal Emergency Response Team had begun contact tracing to identify all persons who might have come into contact with the deceased.
He said aside from that, the emergency ward of the Walewale Government Hospital where the patient was admitted to had been shut down for immediate disinfection.
Some staff who came into contact with the deceased were also being quarantined.
"We have put up efforts to contain the situation, so far we have begun contact tracing whilst the emergency ward of the hospital too has been shut down for immediate disinfection", he said.
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The death of the teenager has sparked fear and panic in the town as it has emerged that his body was released to the family for burial ahead of the confirmation of the test results.
Members of the family of the deceased have since been asked to self-quarantine as their samples are taken for testing.