This post is not longer updated. For latest on Coronavirus in Ghana, See https://coronavirus.com.gh.
Confirmed number of cases as at 3:00PM March 22, 2020: 21
March 21, 2020 – 9:00PM: Ghana closes all borders to human traffic
President Akufo Addo has said in an address to the nation that the country’s borders will be closed to human traffic from Midnight Sunday to prevent further importation of coronavirus.
March 18, 2020 – 2:00PM: Kotoka International Airport suspends all flights from Schengen countries
Due to the spread of COVID-19, Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport has issued a directive suspending all flights from Schengen countries.
March 18, 2020 – 10:18AM: Emirates suspends flights to Ghana
Emirates has announced through a social media post that it has suspended its flights to Ghana as part of moves to protect its customers and staff from the new coronavirus.
The carrier had previously announced the cancellation of a total of 30 routes including a range of destinations across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and America.
The latest routes the dubai-based carrier has cancelled in addition to Accra are Tunis, Cairo, Madrid, Barcelona and Mexico City.
March 17, 2020 – 11:25AM: U.S. Embassy Accra Institutes Temporary Measures to Prevent and Contain the Spread of Coronavirus [Press Release]
Out of an abundance of caution, and in keeping with the Government of Ghana’s efforts to prevent and contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the U.S. Embassy Accra in Ghana is temporarily suspending routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments, effective March 17, 2020. We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible, but are unable to provide a date at this time. The MRV fee is valid and may be used for a visa application in the country where it was purchased within one year of the date of payment. If you have an urgent matter and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided on our website to request an emergency appointment.
Emergency services for U.S. Citizens in Ghana will continue. Routine services for U.S. Citizens in Ghana will continue on a reduced schedule to ensure the safety and welfare of our citizens and employees.
In addition, the American Center (Library) and EducationUSA Advising Center at the U.S. Embassy in Accra, and the American Corner in Agbogba, are temporarily closing to the public beginning March 17, 2020. The public will not be able to access the library until further notice. All scheduled programs inside American Spaces and the EducationUSA Advising Center have been canceled indefinitely. In Kumasi, all EducationUSA Advising activities are canceled; however, the testing center remains open.
Please note there are restrictions for travel to the United States from or through certain countries. See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-19-information.html, “Presidential Proclamations Regarding Novel Coronavirus,” for more information.
The health of our visitors is a high priority. These temporary measures are precautionary and not in response to any known or suspected COVID-19 exposure at any of our facilities. The U.S. Embassy echoes the Government of Ghana’s call to observe prescribed social distancing and personal hygiene measures to prevent community spread. For more information about COVID-19, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
March 15, 2020 – 2:30PM: Coronavirus: Ghana issues Travel Advisory
The government of Ghana has issued a travel advisory that imposes a temporary travel ban on travellers from countries that have recorded 200 or more cases of coronavirus.
The travel advisory was announced by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a press briefing in Accra on Sunday, March 15, 2020.
Details of the travel advisory are as follows:
- With immediate effect, all travels to Ghana at this stage are strongly discouraged until further notice.
- Effective 1pm on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, any traveller, except dor Ghanaian citizens and persons with Ghanaian residence permits, who within the last 14 days has travelled to countries with more than 200 confirmed COVID-19 cases won’t be permitted in the Ghanaian jurisdiction. Airlines are instructed not to allow such persons to embark. Border posts are instructed not to allow such persons into the jurisdiction.
- Effective 1pm on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, there will be a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine upon entry to Ghana for persons who are otherwise allowed entry into the jurisdiction. Guidelines for self-quarantine will be made available to persons at the various border posts. Persons who are seen to be unable to self-quarantine themselves will be quarantined by the State.
- Effective 1pm on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, any admissible traveller, who exhibits symptoms of Covid-19 will be quarantined and tested upon reaching Ghana.
March 15, 2020 – 1:50PM: Ghana confirms 4 new coronavirus cases
The Director of Public Health at Ghana Health Service, Dr Badu Sarkodie during a press conference on Sunday afternoon confirmed four new coronavirus cases in Ghana. This raises the total number of cases to six (6).
According to the Director of the Ministry of Health, all the 6 are imported cases as all recently returned from trips abroad.
The affected persons are receiving treatment in isolation.
Ghana recorded its first cases on March 12, 2020. It involved a Ghanaian and Norwegian national.
