Coronavirus outbreak: We’ll consider every option before nationwide lockdown - Akufo-Addo

The President said government is currently engaging in broader consultations to find solutions to contain the novel coronavirus.

Though he admitted that a nationwide lockdown might be an option, Akufo-Addo said that will happen only if we have exhausted all other options on how to contain the virus.

Speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, Nana Akufo-Addo said government will consider all factors before a lockdown is announced.

“People in Ghana are now talking about a lockdown. Majority of people who will be affected by decisions of that nature are the working people of our country. The ordinary people of Ghana.”

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“They are the ones who will be affected and it is important for us to take into account the circumstances and conditions. When we lock down Accra, what are the consequences?”

“A responsible government is required to look at all the implications before decisions are made. And that is the exercise we are currently engaged in and I am hoping that much sooner than later we will come to an agreement on what those measures are and the Ghanaian people will be informed,” the President said.

Meanwhile the Ghana Health Service has announced that positive cases of coronavirus has jumped to 132 cases.

A statement said that 78 of the confirmed cases are from the travelers under mandatory quarantine.

The Ghana Health Service added that "as at the morning of 26 March 2020, a total of fifty-four (54) cases including three (3) deaths have been confirmed from the regular surveillance systems.”

“All the three (3) cases that unfortunately succumbed to the disease were aged and had underlying chronic medical conditions. All the other fifty-one (51) cases are well; fourteen (14) are being managed at home and the rest are responding well to treatment on admission in isolation. They are awaiting their test results and will be discharged when the results are negative.”