Ghana's president says health minister tested positive for COVID-19

Image Courtesy Reuters

Ghana’s health minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu is in a stable condition after contracting the new coronavirus, President Nana Akufo-Addo said on Sunday.

“Let us wish our hardworking minister for health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, a speedy recovery from the virus, which he contracted in the line of duty,” Akufo-Addo said in a broadcast, giving an update on the pandemic situation in Ghana.

Akufo-Addo confirmed that final year students in secondary schools and universities would resume classes on Monday as the West African nation pursues its phased lifting of restrictions that were put in place to curb the pandemic.

Ghana has recorded 11,964 positive coronavirus cases, one of the highest in the region, but has also carried out one of the highest number of tests in the continent at 254,331 and has one of lowest number of deaths from the virus.

With 54 deaths reported thus far in Ghana, the ratio of deaths to positive cases stands at 0.4%, compared to the global average of 5.5%, and the African average of 2.6%, Akufo-Addo said.