Health Covid-19: Compulsory testing starts April 1 at hot-spot Ayawaso West Municipality

Health authorities will from Wednesday, April 1, begin a 10-day compulsory tracing and testing for COVID-19 of all residents of Ayawaso West Municipality, in the Greater Accra Region, identified as a hot-spot for spreading the respiratory disease.

A statement signed by the Municipal Director of Health, Dr Louise Matey, however, urged residents not to panic but cooperate with the house to house campaign to identify all those exposed to the novel coronavirus for isolation and treatment.

More than 100 health personnel and security personnel (Police, Immigration and the National Security) would be deployed into the communities within the Municipality to carry out this exercise, the statement, signed on behalf of the Municipal Chief Executive, said.

The Municipality comprises Legon, East Legon, Abelemkpe, Okponglo, Dzorwulu and Airport Residential Area electoral areas and has a population of more than 70, 600.

The Government on Sunday announced that it intended to use the two-week restriction of movement measures in 40 localities in the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan areas to undertake a house to house comprehensive testing of every individual exposed to those infected, as part of measures to contain it and treat those infected.

“We wish to inform you that the Ayawaso West Municipality has been identified as a hotspot for the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19),” the statement said.

” As a result of this, a directive from the National Level has been given to conduct:

A COVID-19 contact tracing of all persons who have come into contact with confirmed COVID-19 positive patients which was already being done, and Conduct compulsory house to house testing of every individual residing in Ayawaso West Municipality.

“This exercise would start from tomorrow, Wednesday 1st April, 2020 up to Friday 10th April, 2020 (that’s a 10 day exercise).

” We wish to crave the indulgence of every person residing within theMunicipality not to panic but kindly cooperate with the Team of Health personnel and Security Agencies to ensure the success of this exercise”.

source: GNA