There is a sharp decline in the wearing of nose masks in the Bono Region, contributing to rapid spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the region, a survey conducted by the Regional Directorate of Health Services has indicated.

According to the survey conducted in June this year, about 60 per cent of the populace wear nose masks, as against the 78 per cent, recorded in a similar survey by the Directorate in May.

Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, the Acting Bono Regional Director of Health, who made this known, advised Ghanaians to wear the nose masks to protect themselves and people around them, so as to stem the spread of the pandemic.

Addressing a press conference in Sunyani, Dr Amo-Kodieh said COVID-19 education had still not gone down well with many people, and appealed to the media to help scale-up public education on the viral disease.

He also advised the general public to promote personal and good environmental hygiene, saying research had showed the virus disease could also be transmitted through faecal matter.

"Taxi and other commercial drivers in the region are not helping us in the fight against the disease. Many of them have created holes in their nose masks, just for their comfort and to outwit the Police," he said.

Dr Amo-Kodieh said the region had recorded 96 confirmed cases, adding as at July 7, 2020, there was a total of 2,949 suspected cases of COVID-19 in the region.

He said with the exception of Dormaa West, Dormaa East and Tain Districts, all the remaining six Municipalities and three Districts had recorded COVID-19 confirmed cases with Wenchi Municipality recording the highest of 42 cases.

Dr Amo-Kodieh called for strict enforcement of the President's COVID-19 directives to stem the spread of the viral disease in the region.
He said the Directorate and its partners would heighten surveillance and scaled-up precautionary measures in areas without confirmed cases.