Mr Benjamin Kpodo, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho Central Constituency has presented 10, 000 nose masks to people in the Constituency to stem the spread of Covid-19.

He described the presentation as a "rescue mission to empower my people to move about freely and fully protected with nose masks against COVID19."

The MP commended dressmakers and tailors for producing the masks to the standard of the Ghana Health Service and urged residents in the Municipality to observe the health safety protocols to limit the spread of the diseases.

Mr Kpodo said as a result of the deployment of the Municipal task force to ensure the compulsory wearing of nose masks in the Municipality, some people were not able to go out due to lack of masks, hence the donation to empower such people to go about their daily activities fully protected.

He urged members of the task force to exercise moderation and carry out their duties with a human face devoid of, "inflicting brutalities on our people."

The MP said it was important for the informal sector players to remain at work to promote the growth of the local economy, thus the need for the task force to conduct its duties in a manner that would not scare the traders to abandon their businesses.

Dr Kwasi Dzokoto, Deputy Regional Director of Health in charge of Public Health, commended the MP for the gesture, saying it was going to improve the situation in the Municipality.

He said one measure in curbing the spread of the virus the world over, was the use of nose masks and, "key to it compliance is the availability of the nose masks" therefore the donation was a very critical intervention.

Dr Dzokoto said Ho was becoming an epicenter looking at the recent number of cases recorded and urged residents to observe the health safety protocols.

He said the Municipality was likely to record multiplication of current cases if extra preventive measures were not put in place to curb the spread of the virus.

Dr Dzokoto was grateful to all stakeholders including the media and health workers for the support in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

The nose masks are to be given to Assembly members and chiefs for distribution to the people.

The MP, since April this year, donated several wash stations, gallons of sanitizers, packs of tissue paper, and nose masks to identifiable groups, including media houses and markets to stop the spread of COVID19.

Meanwhile, the positive case count of COVID-19 in the Volta Region has jumped from 126 on Sunday, June 07 to 162 on Monday, June 08, 2020.

Out of the 162 cases, 122 are on treatment, 37 recovered and three dead.

Ho, the Regional capital is leading with 62 cases having overtaken Ketu South, which has 40 cases.

Adaklu, South Dayi, and Kpando Municipal have two cases each while Agotime-Ziope, Akatsi South, and Keta, a case each.

Anloga, eight cases, Central Tongu, nine cases, Ho West, six cases, Hohoe, eleven cases, Ketu North, eight cases, North Tongu, three cases, and South Tongu, six cases.

A COVID19 Daily Situational Report made available to the Ghana News Agency said a total of 1,167 cumulative contacts had been listed with 1,132 cumulative samples taken.