Weddings, Funeral Receptions Banned, As COVID-19 Third Wave Beckons

-Active cases hit 4000.

Ghana is exhibiting signs that COVID-19 infections in the country may be headed for a third wave as the number of active cases shoots up from barely 1,000 to over 4,000 in the past week.

This has prompted the Akufo Addo administration to ban wedding and funeral receptions, which the President says are fertile grounds for transmission.

In his 26th COVID-19 update today, Sunday, July 25, 2021, President Akufo Addo outlined five key protocols that must be observed to reduce infection rates. This includes, ban on handshakes at mass gatherings, enforcement of public face masks, events held in open spaces and not exceeding two hours as well as a ban on wedding and funeral receptions.

“…We must remember that the virus continues to jeopardise our lives and livelihoods. Without that, God has been gracious to us…I entreat you to wear the mask. This is what will save us,” President Akufo Addo said.

Meanwhile, according to data from the Ghana Health Services (GHS), Ghana had hit more than a hundred cases per day in the past few days, with the country recording 400 new Covid-19 cases since the health service’s last update on July 20. 

The last time Ghana had such huge spikes in infections was around mid-February this year when the daily average for about 7 days flickered around 100 new cases per day.

Since April 2021 however, daily average infection dropped to near zero and had suddenly picked up in the past week, amidst fears that the highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 may be responsible for this potential third wave.

The GHS shows that among the active cases, 26 are severe while 15 people are in critical condition.

The update reveals that two more persons have passed leaving the death toll at 821.

As of July 21, 2021, Ghana’s Covid-19 confirmed cases have reached a staggering 101,170, out of which 96,255 persons have recovered.