News platforms report the coronavirus outbreak has surfaced in Ghana with two confirmed cases.
While there are reports of two suspects exhibiting symptoms of the said virus, both men tested negative. This is according to Dr Asare, the Chief Executive Officer of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Full Text
The headline of news reports claims the dreaded coronavirus has ‘hit’ Ghana with two cases recorded at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. A number of online portals also carried the same or similar headlines.
Verification
The content of the story, however, does not support the headline. Publications have it that, the two foreigners, a Chinese and an Argentine were directed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital after exhibiting symptoms associated with the coronavirus.
A lead from one of the publications reads…
While, on, Wednesday, the Greater Accra Divisional Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association- Dr Winfred Baah revealed two recorded suspect-cases.
Subsequently, the hospital took the blood samples to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research for investigations.
Negative Results
However, on Thursday, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research revealed the two patients have tested negative.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Daniel Asare set the record straight. In a media address, he confirmed that both preliminary and subsequent tests conducted on the patients came out negative.
“The preliminary confirmation was negative and the next one that came, which is the actual confirmation, shows that they are negative”
Dr Daniel Asare- Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital
