Dr. Bukari Zakaria the resident Medical Physician told the Ghana News Agency that the authorities at the Tumu hospital have put in place preventive measures to control the spread of the virus by ensuring that the visitors observe social distancing, the very sick persons given priority attention, and ensuring that those with underlining health conditions do not come into contact with suspected COVID-19 persons.

Dr. Zakaria said special arrangements have also been made for asthmatic and diabetic patients as well as other persons with underlining health conditions to receive their treatment on time.

He said those patients would either be given three months' long medication or place a phone call on them to be taken care of to protect such persons from visiting the hospital premises regularly as it was seen as a risk.

He said the management of the facility had insisted that people wash their hands before entering the hospital and must observe social distancing and wearing of nose mask.

"Due to lack of space in the hospital, wards only admit serious illness as the beds had been re-arranged to keep distances so that patients do not get closer to each other", Dr Zakaria added.

Mr Alex Bapula, the Sissala East Municipal Director of Health, also in an interview with the GNA indicated that about 366 samples of contact tracing that was undertaken a week ago had been tested negative of COVID-19, and that about 94 samples were yet to be released.

The Health Director noted that stigmatization among the community members of suspected COVID-19 persons was affecting the fight against the pandemic, and called on all to assist such persons to be reintegrated into their families.

"The social distance is not being practiced as expected whilst inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health personnel is another challenge affecting the health staff in their quest to fighting the COVID-19", Mr Bapula said.

The Sissala East recorded seven cases of the COVID-19 involving mainly people who travelled into the municipality from Kumasi and Accra during the partial lockdown period.

All the people returning to the Upper West Region within that period were made to undergo mandatory screening before entering into the region.