The recovery rate of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana has improved from 89.5 percent to 95.1 percent in the last three weeks, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said.

The death rate on its part continues to be low at 0.5 percent.

Thus far, a total of 40,567 persons have recovered from the virus since it was first recorded in Ghana in March 2020.

Total confirmed cases in Ghana as of Sunday, August 16, 2020 was 42,532 with 231 deaths.

President Akufo-Addo in his 15th address to the nation on measures taken against the spread of the disease on Sunday night [August 16, 2020) said there were currently no backlogs of tests at any of the testing centres, meaning that situational reports are up to date.

“Indeed test results that used to take weeks are now available within 48 hours. We have so far, conducted 427,121 tests," he said.

President Akufo-Addo said as of July 24, the number of active cases [persons with the virus] stood at 3,307.

As of Saturday, August 15th three weeks later, the number of active cases stoood at 1,847, a clear indication that the government policies were working.

“Currently, there are no recorded COVID-19 cases in the North East, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regions and I charge their residents to do everything possible to maintain that situation, Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, Eastern and Western continue to be the regions with the highest number of active cases," the president said.

"These statistics undermine, as unfounded the claim that Ghana has lost the battle to defeat COVID-19. There can only one simple reason for this baseless assertion, and that is political expediency. But as I have said before, do not begrudge those who make such statements, they need to make them continue to try to stay relevant."

"Our health workers will forever be in our debt, for the dedication they have put in to ensure these impressive statistics.

"We can help them even further by continuing to adhere to the social distancing and hygiene protocols we have instituted to stem the tide of infections

“I have been encouraged by the results of a recent survey conducted by the Ghana Health Services into the use of the face masks at selected locations in Accra in the month of August. It revealed that the overall intention to use face masks at the sites surveyed was very high with 82 percent of person surveyed possession a mask. I believe we can do even more, and reach 100 percent.

"The same survey demonstrated that only 44.3 percent of those who have the mask use them correctly. I urge each and every one of us to wear our masks, and do so correctly anytime we leave our homes. It is the new normal requirement of our daily existence until the virus disappears."