COVID-19: All weddings and funerals receptions banned - Akufo-Addo

He said the increasing rate of active cases has led to this drastic decision.

The President said this in his 26th update on measures the government has taken to combat the pandemic this evening.

“The COVID-19 Taskforce, which I chair, has recommended that a second look be taken at the protocols that have been put in place for the holding of funerals across the country. I have, in previous updates, emphasised the need for the strict observance of safety protocols at funerals, and the following measures are a set of enhanced protocols which must be adhered to by all at funerals:

1. all events associated with funerals must be held in open air spaces;

2. there must be observance of the one (1) metre social distancing rule by sympathisers;

3. the wearing of masks is mandatory, and persons must respect the enhanced hygiene protocols;

4. funerals should not go beyond the two (2) hour time duration;

5. post-funeral receptions are banned;

6. handshakes must be avoided; and

7. one-week funeral celebrations are restricted solely to family members, and should not exceed a duration of two (2) hours.”

Ghana is currently experiencing what experts have described as a 3rd wave of COVID-19 infections.

“As at Wednesday, 21st July 2021, ten (10) weeks later, the Ghana Health Services is now reporting that our total number of active cases stands at four thousand and ninety-four (4,094)”, Nana Addo said.

”A total of one million, three hundred and ninety-four thousand, five hundred and forty (1,394,540) tests have been conducted, out of which one hundred and one thousand, one hundred and seventy (101,170)persons have been infected with the virus, and ninety-six thousand, two hundred and fifty-five (96,255) persons have recovered.”

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Pulse Ghana

“Our daily infection rate is ……… and, sadly, thirty-six (36) more people have died from COVID over the last ten (10) weeks, bringing the cumulative number of deaths to eight hundred and nineteen (819) since the onset of the pandemic.”

“Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan areas remain the hotspots of infections.This entire development is very alarming, especially as we are being told by officials of the Ghana Health Service, that the recovery rate is on the decline.”