Ghana may be recording its first case of Ebola if tests on the blood samples of a Burkinabe man suspected to have died of Ebola proves positive.
The man who was rushed to the Bawku Presby Hospital in the Upper East Region from Burkina Faso died on arrival.
The Medical Director at the Hospital, Dr Joseph Yaw Manu, who confirmed the incident to Citi News, said they sent the blood samples for testing because the man was brought in showing symptoms of Ebola.
In an interview with Citi News, Dr. Manu said the patient was bleeding from his nostrils when he was brought to the hospital by his relatives.
This, he said raised their suspicion he may have died of the Ebola disease.
“We are just suspecting a case which was brought in from Burkina Faso but he was brought in dead. We took his blood samples and it has been taken to the Municipal Director of Health and they are going take it on from there,” he said.
Dr. Manu said they are awaiting the results from the blood sample test to verify the cause of death. However, the body of the deceased has been sent back to Burkina Faso.
He gave the assurance that the hospital is prepared to battle the disease saying, “we are prepared. As we are talking right now, I am preparing the things…We have the isolation room but with the clothing, we are now gathering them. Now that we have seen a suspected case, we are gathering them.”
This is the fourth suspected case of Ebola reported in Ghana; two in Kumasi, one in Accra and now the Upper East Region.
Tests on the blood samples from the suspected patients by the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research all proved negative.
The Ebola disease has killed over 800 persons in four West African countries including, Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international health emergency due to the rapid spread of the disease in the West African sub-region.
Ghanaians are currently apprehensive about the disease which has affected neighbouring countries.
The Health Ministries says it is working closely with all health institutions and border officials to ensure citizens are protected.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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