The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has said that about 2,065 health workers have been infected with Covid-19.
It said 1,870 had recovered from the infection, while 183 were still being treated but added that six of the infected health workers had died.
The Director-General of the GHS, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, made this known to the media at the Covid-19 press briefings in Accra yesterday.
According to him, the Greater Accra Region has the highest infected health workers, with 588 cases. He said 536 had recovered with no death recorded among the infected health workers in the region.
He said the Ashanti Region has about 245 health workers infected, with 228 of them declared recovered, with two deaths.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said about 24 health workers in the Ahafo Region had been infected, with five of them declared recovered.
Cases Count
The GHS has recorded additional 695 new cases of Covid-19, raising the total case count to 26,125.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said 10,465 of the positive cases were recorded through routine surveillance and 15,660 through enhanced contact tracing.
He said there is currently a total of 22,270 recoveries and the death toll still at 139.
He, however, added that about 25 patients were in severe conditions, eight in critical condition and four on ventilators.
He said 3,716 active cases were being managed in treatment, isolation centres and under home management and added that 339,491 tests had been conducted so far.
Face Shield
The Fellows and Members of the Ghana Chapter of the West African College of Surgeons and the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) have kicked against the use of face shield as a replacement for the wearing of nose masks.
A statement jointly signed by the GMA President, Dr. Frank Ankobea, and 1st Vice-President and Country Representative, Prof. Peter Donkor, said the use of face shields alone (without a face mask) does not give the user the needed protection against Covid-19, especially in the light of potential air borne spread of the virus from emerging scientific evidence.
It explained that although face shields protect against splashes, and may be added to a mask it should not be used as a replacement for masks in protecting one against Covid-19.
“This is a very dangerous trend that must be discontinued by the general public with immediate effect. Continuous use of face shields without mask by the general public will lead to increased cases of Covid-19 in the country. The public is advised to wear masks at all times,” the statement said.
The two groups also debunked unsubstantiated reports on some social media platforms about a decrease in blood oxygen concentration as well as a buildup of carbon dioxide when one uses a mask.
“As Medical Doctors (especially Surgeons), we wear face masks all the time in the course of work and no such derangements have been observed. We entreat the general public to disregard these social media report,” it said.
By Melvin Tarlue