By Edward Williams, GNA
     Hohoe (V/R), Aug.11, GNA – Six children, aged between five and 12 years, have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Hohoe Municipality.
     Five of the children were treated and discharged with a six-year-old, a transported case, currently responding to treatment.
      Between January and August this year, 86 staff of the Hohoe Municipal Hospital also tested positive for the diseases.
     A monthly breakdown of the coronavirus statistics in the Municipality revealed that 2,458 samples were tested from January to August 2021.
      Out of the samples, 459 tested positive, 34 active cases while four people succumbed to the virus.
     Mr Philip Nani-Tome, Hohoe Municipal Disease Control Officer, said during a Public Health Emergency Management Committee meeting that people in the Municipality no longer wore face masks.
     He said social distancing was not being adhered to, hand washing equipment no longer in use, government facilities no longer observing protocols and the media being quiet on education.
     Mr Nani-Tome recommended that the Hohoe Municipal Assembly should enforce its bye-laws on the adherence to coronavirus protocols.
     He also appealed for financial support to purchase fuel to carry out vigorous contact tracing and health promotion.
     The Officer revealed that the Municipality had not received the second doses for people who took jabs of the first doses of the AstraZeneca covid vaccines, adding that most people were unwilling to be vaccinated.
     He said the Municipality needed more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health workers.
     The officer urged churches to adhere to the stipulated two-hour service time and also ensure adherence to the protocols.
     Mr Nani-Tome said challenges faced with managing Covid-19 cases included no means of transport of items to the treatment Centre.
     He also mentioned no reimbursement to the hospital, which was spending hugely on the management of the pandemic, no fridge to store medication and no means of carrying out effective home management.
     Mr Andrews Teddy Ofori, the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said the Municipality would provide a motorbike to support the management of cases in the Municipality.
     He urged the Municipal Security Committee (MUSEC) to meet and deliberate on ways to ensure adherence to safety protocols.
     Superintendent Odoi Jeffery Nii Laryea, Commander of Wli Afegame Border Post, revealed that the border remained close to people except for goods.
     He said a joint security team was also in place to check unapproved routes leading to Togo.
GNA