Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Assin-Darmang (C/R), March 24, GNA – Mr Derick Owusu
Ambrose, the Assin South District Chief Executive (DCE), has given a 24-hour
ultimatum to eight hotels in the area to adhere to the COVID-19 control
measures or risk closure.
The facilities were
operating in contravention of public safety precautionary measures by the Ghana
Health Service and the Government to contain the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic.
They have not placed
water and soaps at vantage points for hand washing and hand sanitizers were
also not available in the facilities.
Mr Ambrose has vowed
to close down all hotels, eateries, pubs, guest houses and places that did not
adhere to the GHS public health compliance on containing the spread of the
novel COVID-19.
The ultimatum was
given after a tour of some facilities in the area to assess their compliance
with the public safety directive as issued by the GHS and the World Health
Organisation (WHO) in the wake of the pandemic.
Of the 10 hotels
visited, eight had failed to implement the public safety measures and had no
clear intension of upgrading their standards to ensure the safety of customers.
In addition, the
Assembly had intensified public sensitisation in communities with three mobile
vans and seasoned health experts to extensively cover all persons.
The communities
include Asantoase, Seidukrom, Mesomagor, Jakai, Dominase, Adeambra, Manso, and
Onwaand Awuro Camp.
Mr Ambrose announced
that the Assembly had taken delivery of quantities of hospital beds, hand
gloves, sanitizers, face masks and Veronica buckets to manage the disease.
He advised all
persons who exhibited symthoms of the dreaded COVID-19 to, as a matter of
urgency, report to the designated holding centres in Assin Manso and Nyankomasi
Ahenkro health centres.
Alternatively, due
to travel difficulties and telephone connectivity, people could also reach to
the nearest health facility or call the national centre for immediate
assistance.
According to the
DCE, who is also a Pharmacist, the virus was transmitted through direct contact
with respiratory droplets of an infected person through coughing and sneezing
and touching surfaces contaminated with it.
The symptoms include
fever, cough and shortness of breath, in more severe cases, infection can cause
pneumonia or breathing difficulties and more rarely, the disease can be fatal.
These symptoms are
similar to the flu (influenza) or common cold, the reason testing is required
to confirm if someone has the COVID-19.
To avoid the risk of
infection, the DCE advised the public to wash hands frequently with soap under
running water, or alcohol-based hand rub, cover mouth and nose with a flexed
elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing, and throw away the tissue into a
closed bin immediately.
He urged the public
to avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms.
GNA