Senior Minister Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo

Senior Minister Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo has tested positive for COVID-19.

This was announced at a media briefing in Accra yesterday by the Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah explained that the disclosure was in line with government’s transparency and with the permission of the Senior Minister himself.

“In a separate development that has come to us this morning, Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo has been informed that his sample given for test has been returned positive. He will therefore as of today commence treatment for COVID-19 from home”, the Minister for Information stated yesterday.

891 new cases

Meanwhile, Ghana’s COVID-19 cases have risen to 21,968 after the country recorded 891 new infections.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS), which announced this at yesterday’s media briefing, said the new numbers are from 13 out of the 16 regions in the country.

The Director-General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said these were confirmed cases from samples taken dating back to June 26.

While fatalities remain at 129 from the previous update, the number of recoveries have gone up from 16,070 to 17,156.

This, according to Dr Kuma-Aboagye leaves the active cases at 4,683 with 22 of them being severe.

He added that six of the 22 severe cases are critical, with five of the patients on ventilators.

Dr. Aboagye said about 400 cases are being recorded daily and noted the Greater Accra, Western and Ashanti regions are the places with the greatest challenges.

He admonished all Ghanaians to stick with the preventive protocols against the COVID-19.

The latest infections take Greater Accra’s cases to 11,508 representing more than 50 per cent of the country’s total case count.

Ashanti, Western and Central regions also have case tally of 4,534; 1,846 and 992 respectively.

The rest are given below:

Eastern Region- 835

Volta Region- 369

Upper East Region- 278

Western North Region- 154

Bono East Region- 139

Northern Region- 137

Oti Region- 112

Upper West Region- 55

Savannah Region- 46

Bono Region- 38

Ahafo Region- 26

North East Region- 8