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Leader of Communication and Community engagement for the National Covid-19 Response Team, Dr Aboagye Da Costa has revealed that there has been a sharp decline of the number of Covid-19 active cases in Ghana.

According to the Director of Health Promotion at the Ghana Health Service, the country can defeat coronavirus if the safety protocols are strictly followed by Ghanaians.

Speaking in an interview with JoyNews, Dr Da Costa said that the number of active cases have declined from 3,200 cases to 2,400 cases while following impressive recoveries and discharges.

“Four out of the 16 regions; Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, and North East are without any case of Covid-19 while the other 12 regions have also seen significant decline in the active infection. So far, nearly 94 percent of persons who have contracted the virus have recovered, while 215 have unfortunately died”, he revealed.

In spite of government easing the restrictions, Dr Aboagye Da Costa indicated that infection rates have declined due to measures put in place to check the spread.

He said that even though the news seems encouraging, the virus is still in the country, urging Ghanaians to continuously follow the preventive etiquettes as it is their believe that “if everyone follows the preventive etiquettes, we will be able to reduce the infection to the barest minimal”.

“…we have to learn how to leave with the virus and we instituted the protocols, we did a little bit of community engagement, stakeholder consultation, everyone is playing their part and so as people are playing their part, the leaders of organizations being churches, workplaces, team leaders and Covid-19 teams within various institutions should still make it a point to make sure that the protocols are adhere to strictly”.

He again said that the participation of the government, the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Health and also the citizens in the fight against the deadly coronavirus has been very good. He added that scientists across the globe are studying the behaviour of the virus in various setting

“The things that the government has put in place and that of the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health seem to be the things actually helping in reducing this infection in the country”, he mentioned.

He stressed that there could be other factors contributing to the declining rate of the infection and recoveries in the country which is not yet known.

 Citing vitamin D which is normally obtain from the Sun as suggested by some people but yet to be confirmed by studies is believed to be a contributing factor to the declining rate of infection and rapid recoveries.

“…it is really encouraging but we should not lose our guard, we should make sure that we follow the preventive etiquettes strictly and I will dwell on that every day, every second for citizens to take it very serious; to wear their masks when they are stepping out, to make sure that they wash their hands with soap under running water and also to follow the other preventive etiquettes”, he urged.

“Boosting of immunities has become essential and so it is important that like the President has been calling for people to eat our local food. This is the time Ghanaians should patronize our own local foods such as the kontomire and the vegetables that we have because they contain some vitamins that will be able to help boost our immune systems”, he encouraged.

Dr Aboagye Da Costa encouraged Ghanaians to continue to adhere to the safety protocols, believing that it will make headway in reducing the virus in the country as everyone is praying for.