The Northern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. John Eleeza says the two COVID-19 testing centers in the region are overwhelmed with samples from 8 regions.
This he explained has led to delays in the release of test results compared to when the centers were taking samples from five regions.
The Public Health and Reference Laboratory located within the Tamale Teaching Hospital with a capacity to test about 300 samples a day and the Pong Tamale Veterinary laboratory with a capacity to test less than 100 samples are the two testing centers in the region that is currently serving 8 regions in Ghana.
Dr. Eleeza whiles speaking on the Diamond Power Drive on Tuesday morning revealed that it took four to five days to produce results even though the Laboratory technicians were working overtime.
This he added were impeding efforts by the COVID-19 response team in the region from responding effectively in curtailing the wild spread of the virus.
He urged government to establish testing centers in Kintampo and in Bolgatanga to help reduce the simple loads on the two resting centers in Tamale which he said will help in the contact tracing and reduce the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, 267 positives cases of COVID-19 cases have so far been recorded in the Northern Region, with nine deaths from that number. Only two people are currently on admission.
One hundred and seventy (170) infected persons have recovered from the virus leaving 97 active cases in the Northern Region.
Giving a breakdown of the cases, Dr. John Eleeza said the Tamale Metropolitan area has recorded 193 cases with 8 deaths, Sagnarigu Municipality has 51 cases with 1 death, Yendi has 10 cases and Saboba has 9 cases.
Nanumba South and Tolon districts both have two cases each.
Dr. John Eleeza expressed worry that persons within 20 to 39 years account for 70.4 % of all infections in the Northern Region.
He said out of the 267 cases in the region, 136 cases representing 51% are males whiles 131 representing 49% are females.
He urged the public to help stop the spread of the virus by religiously observing the COVID-19 preventive protocols put out by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service.
Source: Edward A. Ken-Zorre | www.diamondfmoline.com
