The active COVID-19 cases are likely to decline “based on the positivity rate and the number of new infections” recorded, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has indicated.
This, he explained, is because “the number of recoveries on the average exceeds the number of positive cases.”
“Our prediction, based on all these, is that all things being equal, we should continue to see a decline based on the positivity rate and the number of new infections and that is why we are increasingly getting a decline in active cases,” he told Class News on Monday, 17 August 2020.
He, however, stated that there is the need to be proactive to continue keeping the country’s COVID-19 situation under control, adding that Ghana is not free from the pandemic yet.
Citing the second phase of easing restrictions by President Akufo-Addo, Dr Kuma-Aboagye said: “When schools open, there are stringent measures that are going to be put in place to ensure even when there is an infection, the response will be rapid.”
President Akufo-Addo, in his 15th COVID-19 update address to the nation on Sunday, 16 August 2020, announced the reopening of selected universities in the country for continuing students on “24 August 2020 to finish their academic year.”
“Through online learning portals, almost all continuing students in our universities have completed their studies for the academic year with the exception of the University of Cape Coast, University of Health and Allied Sciences, technical universities and some other colleges,” adding that: “After extensive stakeholder consultations, the decision has been taken for continuing students of these tertiary institutions to return to school on 24th August to finish their academic year.”
The President further indicated that all tertiary institutions across the country will be disinfected.
“Just as was done for final-year students who returned to school, government through the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service will ensure that all these tertiary institutions are disinfected,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo also disclosed that the Kotoka International Airport is likely to be reopened by 1 September 2020.