Coronavirus

With effect midnight Sunday, March 22, 2020, Ghana will close all its borders to human traffic. The closure, however, will not apply to goods, supplies and cargo. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a televised address on Saturday disclosed that the move is to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19.

“All our borders, that is, by land, sea and air, will be closed to human traffic for the next two weeks beginning midnight on Sunday,” he said.

All travellers arriving in the country before midnight on Sunday will be required to undergo mandatory quarantine and Covid-19 testing.

“Anybody who comes into the country before on Sunday will be mandatorily quarantined and tested for the virus,” President Nana Akufo-Addo added.

Ghana’s Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, had earlier disclosed that travellers from high-risk countries with more than 200 cases of the Covid-19 would not be allowed into the country. The only exceptions were Ghanaian citizens and persons with Ghana residence permits.

Confirmed cases

Ghana’s index cases of the coronavirus were announced on March 12. 

Twenty-one cases have been confirmed as at 21:15 GMT March 21. One death was announced by the president in his address. Existing cases are therefore currently 20.

“Unfortunately one person who tested positive for the virus, but had serious underlying health complications, passed away in the early hours of today,” President Akufo-Addo said.

He said all the others are responding to treatment. Eight of them are being managed from their homes in isolation.

A Facebook post suggests that drinking lots of water and gargling with warm water and salt or vinegar eliminates the coronavirus.

The claim has not been corroborated by any health institution. The WHO says there is currently no specific treatment, drug or vaccine for the Covid-19, although some home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms.

A viral Facebook post proffers yet another remedy for the new coronavirus, COVID-19. How? Simply drink lots of and gargle with warm water and salt or vinegar and you are good to go.

DUBAWA looked into these claims and found no evidence to back them.

Verification

According to the World Health Organisation, the incubation period for Covid-19, that is, the period between contracting the virus and exhibiting symptoms ranges between one and 14 days. Symptoms however commonly appear after around five days.

How does the virus work?

The virus works by getting inside and taking over the cells of the body.  It first infects the cells lining the throat, airways and lungs and turns them into “coronavirus factories”. The “coronavirus factories” then spew out huge numbers of new viruses that go to infect more cells.

Will gargling saline solution eliminate the virus?

This claim has not been corroborated by any health institution. 

Gargling may soothe a sore throat, a symptom of the new coronavirus. In fact, NHS recommends gargling with warm saline water for adults suffering from sore throats. However, there is no evidence that it kills the virus. The Covid-19, according to Chinese health workers, invades the respiratory tract and therefore cannot be cleaned gargling. 

Indeed, the WHO, in its Q&A about coronavirus on twitter debunked a similar question of whether gargling mouthwash can protect one from COVID-19. 

How about drinking lots of Water? Drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated is advised especially when one is unwell. However, it does not prevent coronavirus infection.

Cures for the Covid-19?

The Organisation says there is currently “no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019.” Clinical trials are however ongoing to find a solution to the disease.

It adds that “some western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19.”

WHO’s standard recommendations to prevent infection spread of coronavirus 

• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
• Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
• Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
• Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
• Stay informed and follow the advice given by your healthcare provider.

Since the first two cases of COVID-19 in Ghana were announced, prices of hand sanitizers have increased drastically. This is similar to situations across the world. Where the product has not run out, sellers are charging outrageous prices in order to make huge profits. In Ghana, a bottle of hand sanitizer that sold for 20 GHC or less just a few days ago is now being sold at around 80 GHC or more.

Consequently, many speculations are being made on social media and other platforms. One of them is that local spirits, like akpeteshie, can be used in the absence of hand sanitizer. Others also claim that drinking alcohol, in this case, akpeteshie, will kill the coronavirus.

we found both claims to be false.

Beverages like ‘akpeteshie’, a local brewed spirit made from sugarcane or palm wine, can be used as a substitute for hand sanitizers. 

Herbal and local gin bitters often do not meet the required alcohol content for an effective hand rub. Thus, they may not be good substitutes for hand sanitizers against the COVID-19.

Verification

The World Health Organisation and the Centre for Disease Control recommend the use of alcohol-based rubs with ethanol greater than 60 per cent for fighting the COVID-19.  Akpeteshie and other locally brewed gin on the market often do not meet this requirement.

According to the Center for Plant Medicine Research, the alcohol percentage  of bitters on the market is often less than 45%. The WHO also says the standardized alcohol strength of ‘akpeteshie‘ is between 40 and 50% by volume. Therefore, local gin and other alcoholic beverages on the market may not be “viable substitute for hand rubbing”.

“For a sanitiser to be effective in ridding the hands against the coronavirus, sanitisers must have 60-95% alcohol by volume,” a press statement from the CPMR said. “…alcohol content for bitters on the market is often less than 45%.”

Dubawa also spoke to Mr Roger Ahiable, a Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. He confirmed that, if akpeteshie contains an alcohol percentage less than the required 60-95 per cent, it will not be effective in killing the virus. He added that 70 per cent alcohol content shows optimum disinfectant activity.

Highly concentrated alcohol, which may be useful substitutes, are often not found on the market. Some contain as high as 95 % alcohol and as low as 70% alcohol. Mr Ahiable noted that these beverages are usually diluted to prevent health complications and thus are rarely concentrated enough to serve as a disinfectant. He added that rubbing alcohol can be used as a substitute for hand sanitizers as some contain as high as 95 % alcohol and as low as 70% alcohol

He cautioned that using very concentrated spirits on the hand can cause health issues. Dehydration of the skin, burning sensations on the skin and in some cases, hypersensitive reactions are some of them.   

Drinking alcohol kills and prevents COVID-19

Drinking akpeteshie will not kill the coronavirus. Excessive intake of alcohol can cause a range of diseases and thereby weaken your immunity against the coronavirus.

Verification

The WHO says drinking alcohol will not protect you from contracting the COVID-19. In fact, imbibing too much alcohol may affect your immunity against the virus.

“No, drinking alcohol does not protect you from coronavirus infection. Alcohol should always be consumed in moderation and people who do not drink alcohol should not start drinking in an attempt to prevent the infection,” the WHO says.

Mr Ahiable also added that drinking alcohol will not eliminate the virus.

“Consumption of alcohol by mouth cannot disinfect viral colonies in the respiratory system,” he said. “We shouldn’t cause other systematic damages by alcohol consumption while trying to prevent infection. It is not wise. It will eventually damage the immune strength of the consumer.”

Conclusion:

Consumption of alcoholic beverages is not a preventive measure for the coronavirus. In addition, using alcoholic beverages does not guarantee the disinfection of the hands as various beverages have different alcohol volumes. It is important to check the alcohol content before opting to use such beverages as substitutes for hand sanitizers.

Coronavirus is a disease that causes damage to the respiratory tract when it is attached to the cells in the lining of the lungs causing damage to it. When the virus enters the body, the patient begins to experience mild symptoms of dry cough, shortness of breath, fever, headache, muscle pain and tiredness compared to ordinary flu.

Key facts

• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome( SARS-Cov).
•  This disease is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person.
• It is also a new strain discovered in 2019, which has not been [previously identified in humans.
• WHO reports of no official vaccines yet for COVID-19; neither is there a cure, even though there are potential treatments, these are not definitive.
• The best way to prevent being infected is to take necessary preventive measures.

Prevalence

• Covid-19 has affected 222,643 thousand people globally, with older people more susceptible to the disease.
• Reports place the death toll at 9,1115 with over 84506 recovered patients.
• Coronavirus is now pandemic which has killed over 9.115 persons with 84506 recoveries made. 
• There are mild cases and severe ones as well. The mild ones are due to the response of the body’s immune system and its ability to contain the virus. ( mostly in young adults).

Causes & Symptoms

The disease Covid19 is caused by the virus designated, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). So far, health experts suggest respiratory droplets from an individual to be a prominent method of transmission. It can also be transmitted if a person touches the surface that houses the infected droplets and then touches any sensitive openings of the body, i.e. mouth, nose and eyes. So far, these are the known symptoms:

• Respiratory illness
• Fever
• Dry cough,
• Sneezing
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Body Aches
• Runny nose
• Sore throat

How does it spread?

1. Coronavirus spreads through direct contact: Respiratory droplets of “an infected” person or by touching surfaces that are contaminated.
2. The symptoms include coughing, sneezing, etc.
3. Wear a mask if: infected or display respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing) to protect others; if not, there is no need to wear a mask. 
4. There is no cure yet.

“How can my family and I stay safe?”

1. Wash your hands frequently: Regular and thorough handwashing with soap under running water at intervals is an essential way to prevent being infected. Health institutes have surmised the “happy birthday” song is the duration it takes for handwashing. 
2. Regular use of hand sanitizer: WHO also advises we utilise alcohol-based sanitizers; this is especially important in scenarios where we cannot practice frequent handwashing. Note, this is a simple alternative (where necessary) and not a replacement to basic hand hygiene (handwashing). Some people choose to utilise both methods; this is not compulsory.
3. Maintain social distancing: Avoid at all cost anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness like coughing and sneezing, cold or general flu-like symptoms. The rationale behind this being that the flu droplets from such person may contain the virus, and you risk infection from inhaling said droplets.
4. The deliberate effort of not touching eyes, nose and mouth: Your hands’ unavoidably touches many surfaces and can pick the virus up. The contaminated hands if not washed, can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth, which is easy access for the virus to enter the body.
5. Practice excellent and continuous respiratory hygiene: Make sure to practice good respiratory hygiene that is, covering your mouth with a flexed elbow when sneezing or coughing, or with a paper tissue and dispose of immediately.

Are you feeling sick with flu-like symptoms? Do not panic. Stay home and seek urgent medical attention.

Ghana has confirmed four more cases of the COVID-19. This was announced by the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr Badu Sarkodie at a press briefing on Sunday, March 15, 2020.

“This brings to a total of six confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ghana, there are no deaths and this is the situation as at March 14, 2020. All the 6 cases were imported into Ghana,” Dr Sarkodie said.

The new cases include a female student of the University of Ghana who had returned from the United States of America.

The first two index cases, imported from Norway and Turkey, were announced on Thursday, March 12, 2020. 

Travel To Ghana Discouraged

The Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, at the press briefing disclosed that travellers from countries with over 200 COVID-19 cases will not be allowed into the country.

“All travel to Ghana is strongly discouraged until further notice. Any traveller, except for Ghanaian citizens and persons with Ghana residence permits, who within the last 14 days, has been to a country that has recorded at least 200 cases of COVID-19, will not be admitted into the Ghanaian jurisdiction. Airlines are instructed not to allow such persons to embark. Border posts are instructed not to allow such persons into the jurisdiction,” he said.

Persons who are otherwise allowed into the country will be mandated to self-quarantine for 14 days.

“There will be a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for persons who are otherwise allowed to enter the Ghanaian jurisdiction,” the minister said.

COVID-19 Dedicated Website 

Mr Nkrumah announced a dedicated website to update the public on the outbreak. The website will be updated every six hours to keep Ghanaians informed.

Uber Services in Suspended in Accra until further notice – Viral WhatsApp Message.

Uber Services are still available in Accra and other parts of the country. 

Full text

The Director of Public Health, Ghana Health Service, Dr Badu Sarkodie in a press briefing on Sunday, March 15, 2020, announced that the number of Covid-19 cases has increased to six. Later that evening, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo addressed the nation on measures taken to control the spread of the virus. They include the Ministry of Transport working with transport unions and public and private transport operations to ensure enhanced hygienic conditions in all cars and terminals.

On the same day, a message started circulating on WhatsApp stating that Uber services have been suspended in Accra until further notice. It purports to be a press release from the Uber Drivers Association. The message titled “UBER SERVICES SUSPENDED IN ACCRA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE” was signed by Alex Joy Vifa who was noted as the Secretary for the association. A contact number, 0550359901, was included in the message.

According to the message, the decision to suspend Uber services in Accra was taken due to the spread of the coronavirus in Accra.

“This decision was taken due the spread of the deadly Coronavirus (COVID 19) in Accra. As at Sunday, 15th March 2020, Ghana has recorded 4 new cases of Coronavirus. In that regard, a total of 6 cases have been recorded so far,” the release said.

“Our services that we render to our riders in Ghana always expose us to the deadly disease. It is also a fact that we are not adequately prepared to detect, manage and prevent the spread of the disease. All these make drivers and riders vulnerable and susceptible to the COVID 19. We will put our lives and that of riders in danger when we continue our services,” it continued.

News portals such as bbcghana.com have proceeded to make news articles based on the viral message, with a headline stating that Uber services have been suspended in Accra.

Verification

Dubawa could not speak to Alex Joy Vifa of the Uber Drivers Association for verification as the number advertised in the release is incorrect.

The Country Manager for Uber Ghana, Ms Jessica Poku, has, however, in a thread on Twitter clarified that the viral message circulating is incorrect. She said the Uber application has not been suspended. It is still available throughout Ghana and is operating normally.

Ms Poku also noted that the nature of Uber services allows drivers to form associations. Therefore, the message could be from a group of drivers who have decided to withhold their services.

“This could be, for example, a group of 5 drivers who take a decision not to drive, and draft a message to send out. The application has not been suspended and is operating as normal at this time. You may open the app at any time to confirm same”

Ms Poku

This was again confirmed to Dubawa by an officer at the Uber Support Centre, Mr Hamand Khan. 

“In Ghana, the services are not suspended at all. Riders are sending requests for Uber and our partners are accepting the Uber ride,” Khan said.

Mr Khan added that plans of suspension of services if any would be communicated to riders either through email or through a suspension notice in their Uber app.

“If there is any plan of suspension of Uber in Accra, clients will receive an email or will see a suspension notification in their uber app directly. So if you receive any forwarded message from any third party, I will recommend you to contact us and verify that the information is from us,” Khan said. 

Mr Nathan Akoto of Hailing Apps, an app which has drivers from Bolt, Uber and Yango on their platform says their drivers are working.

“As far as we are concerned we’ve not had any corroboration. We tried the numbers that were put out there but none of them went through. But our drivers are working. You can just try ordering it and you will see for yourself.” Akoto said.

Dubawa also spoke to Mr Mark Agyei, an Uber driver in Accra who said they are currently working and have received no directives from their association to suspend services in the national capital.

Dettol can help in fighting coronavirus – viral social media posts

Dettol has been tested on, and found to kill coronaviruses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). However, the manufacturer of Dettol, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc(RB), says it has not yet tested its products on the novel coronavirus and could not confirm whether Dettol is effective against the new coronavirus strain.  

Full Text

An image circulating on WhatsApp shows a bottle of Dettol with the caption “Imagine Dettol can help in fighting coronavirus and we’re ignorant of it. It’s written on the container zoom and read.” 

Similar versions of this image have been posted on Facebook; here, and here claiming similar discoveries with hundreds of shares across the platform. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause a range of illnesses including common colds, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) and others. On the other hand, this new strain of the virus is one that had not previously been identified in humans.

In recent developments, The WHO has characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. This was announced by the Director-General of WHO, Mr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his opening remarks at the Mission briefing on the COVID-19 on March 12^th, 2020.

Verification

A Facebook post by Reckitt Benckiser Group plc(RB), producers of Dettol on January 31^st, 2020 states that the product has not been tested on the novel coronavirus and they, therefore, cannot confirm yet whether or not Dettol may be an effective disinfectant against the virus. 

“RB has become aware of speculation about Dettol products and the novel 2019-nCoV coronavirus. As this is an emerging outbreak, RB, like all manufacturers, doesn’t yet have access to the new virus (2019-nCoV) for testing and, as a result, are not yet in a position to confirm levels of effectiveness against the new strain,” the post said. 

Dettol has however been tested on and found to kill some members of the coronavirus family including MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV.

“Our products have been tested against other coronaviruses (such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV) and have been found to kill those. Although 2019-nCoV is a new strain, this virus is very similar to other coronaviruses. We continue to work with our partners to ensure that we have the latest understanding of the virus, route of transmission and will test our product range once health authorities make the strain available,” the producers of Dettol said.

Conclusion

Currently, no specific cure has been found for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Studies are ongoing and more information surfacing daily about the virus’ pattern of infection in humans.  

The Two Cases Of Coronavirus In Ghana Proved Negative – Viral Video

The video is not new. It was part of a news item published by Citi TV on February 6, 2020, when two suspected cases tested negative.

Full Text

The Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu announced Ghana’s index COVID-19 cases yesterday March 12, 2020, at a press briefing. He stated that the two confirmed cases are imported from Norway and Turkey.

A day after this, a viral video started circulating on social media. It carries the logo of a television station in Accra, Citi TV. In the video which shows an interview with the media, Dr Daniel Asare, the Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is heard saying the two suspected cases of coronavirus both tested negative.

News portals such as occupygh.com and Opera News have proceeded to make news items on 13^th March 2020 disproving the two cases which were confirmed by the Mr Agyemang-Manu yesterday based on the viral video.

Verification

Citi TV has in a publication, clarified that the video is dated. It was an interview conducted over a month ago.

“The video in circulation is from an interview conducted on February 6, 2020, when the first two suspected cases were tested and proved negative,” a statement from Citi TV reads.

DUBAWA’s checks show the video was part of a news item by the media organisation which was published on 6 February 2020, when two previous suspected cases of the coronavirus in Ghana tested negative.

Citi TV has asked for the video to be disregarded, as it is misinforming the public on the two current confirmed cases in the country.  Citi TV added that they have not had an interview with Dr Daniel Asare since the Minister of Health confirmed the two cases on 12 March 2020.

Twitter users said Adutwumwaa Bitters cures coronavirus.

Adumtwumwaa Bitters does not cure coronavirus. Producers of the medicine, Adumtwumwaa Herbal Industries Limited, have emphatically stated that their product cannot and does not cure the deadly virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is no cure, vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat coronavirus at the moment.

Full Text

Ghana is one of the lucky African countries which is yet to confirm a case of the coronavirus. Till date, health authorities confirm no live instances of the virus as all 41 suspected cases have tested negative.

Still, the Ghanaian economy’s connection with China where the outbreak originated and the country’s proximity to other Sub-Saharan African countries with confirmed cases such as Nigeria, have put officials on high alert. The possible outbreak of the coronavirus has therefore generated conversations both on traditional and new media.

In recent days, discussions about the COVID-19, especially on social media, have included several claims; one being that “Adutwumwaa Bitters”, produced by Adutwumwaa Herbal Industries Limited is the cure for the novel coronavirus.

This assertion left many with several reactions as this mainstream product has been on the Ghanaian market for more than three decades.

Nigerians, here we go again!

First, it was cure for HIV/AIDs, then Ebola.
And now for #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/E2rBZ2NDZN

— Baba (@baba__________) March 2, 2020

On that same day, another user @penyah_enoch tweeted the picture, but this time the caption attributed the cure to Ghana.

https://twitter.com/penyah_enoch/status/1234504860705443840

Meanwhile, these tweets come nearly five days after the claims started making rounds on Twitter and other social media platforms. On February 28 2020, twitter user with the handle @Ankamagyimi tweeted:

https://twitter.com/Ankamagyimi/status/1233323984084783104

Verification

First, Dubawa arranged a phone interview with parties closest to the assertion. The manufacturers of the medicine, Adutwumwaa Herbal Industries Limited, when contacted debunked the claim. Subsequently, Yaw Afrifa, a member of the company’s Public Relations Unit, forwarded the image below to us.

In the meantime, the World Health Organization (WHO), the institution leading the world’s response on the COVID-19, says there is no cure yet for the disease. In the Q&A section of its website, the WHO indicates that as of date, there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat it. 

CONCLUSION:

The evidence from the extensive research disproves the claim that Adutwumwaa Bitters cures coronavirus. This, however, does not mean all hope for a cure is Sisyphean. Scientists around the world are working towards developing a vaccine for the prevention and treatment of the disease.

Vaccine available for prevention of coronavirus – WhatsApp message.

The World Health Organisation says there is currently no vaccine for the treatment or prevention of the COVID-2019. However, health authorities are investigating possible vaccines through clinical trials with expected results soon.

Full Text

Following the outbreak of what is now officially called the COVID-19, numerous claims regarding drugs or treatment methods, have been in circulation on social media. Examples include the efficacy of garlic and chloroquine as cures for the COVID-19, which have been debunked by fact-checkers.  

The latest claim, in the form of a screenshot DUBAWA received on WhatsApp, suggests a coronavirus vaccine may be available for the prevention of the disease. 

The screenshot bears a picture of a vial with the inscription “Coronavirus Vaccine”. The text accompanying it reads: “That’s a great news in the world, To God be the glory. Business will soon start again especially to those travelling to China. Meanwhile, people’s reactions on the breaking news will tell you how important the coronavirus vaccine is to the whole world. Some of their comment are s follows:”

Verification

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is yet to confirm the availability of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. According to information on its website, there is currently no vaccine for the prevention of the disease.

“To date, there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019,” the website reads. 

However, researchers in Hong Kong, the United States of America, Australia, China and other parts of the world are racing to find a cure, drug or vaccine for the COVID-19. Possible vaccines are under investigation and are being tested on animals to ascertain their efficacy.  

We carried out several image searches on the screenshot received and came up with zero results. However, we traced the photo of the vial here. It carried the caption “Scientist holding a lab bottle with the text of coronavirus written in blue gloves and needle standing on the black table blurred background.” 

We also observed the vial has featured in some news stories; which have focused on possible vaccines and the efforts scientists are making to develop a cure for the coronavirus. 

Preventive Measures

For now, the necessary preventive measures, as highlighted by the WHO and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), are your best bet against contracting the disease. Here are some of the things you can do to stay safe: 

• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
• Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.
• Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene; this means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
• Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance.