Abstract
To describe how early case detection, testing and contact tracing measures were deployed by stakeholders in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Ghana - using three outbreak scenarios. A descriptive assessment of three case studies of COVID-19 outbreaks within three settings that occurred in Ghana from March 13 till the end of June 2020. A construction camp, a factory and a training institution in Ghana. Staff of a construction camp, a factory, workers and students of a training institution. We described and compared the three COVID-19 outbreak scenarios in Ghana, highlighting identification and diagnosis of cases, testing, contact tracing and stakeholder engagement for each scenario. We also outlined the challenges and lessons learnt in the management of these scenarios. Approach used for diagnosis, testing, contact tracing and stakeholder engagement. Index cases of the training institution and construction camp were screened the same day of reporting symptoms, whiles the factory index case required a second visit before the screening. All index cases were tested with RT-PCR. The training institution followed and tested all contacts, and an enhanced contact tracing approach was conducted for staff of the other two sites. Multi-sectorial engagement and collaboration with stakeholders enabled effective handling of the outbreak response in all sites. Comparing all three settings, early diagnosis and prompt actions taken through multi-sectorial collaborations played a major role in controlling the outbreak. Engaging stakeholders in the COVID-19 response is an effective way to mitigate the challenges in responding to the pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak response and writing workshop by the Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (GFELTP) was supported with funding from President Malaria Initiative - CDC, and Korea International Cooperation Agency (on CDC CoAg 6NU2GGH001876) through AFENET.
Highlights
Since the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID -19), was identified in Wuhan City in the Hubei Province of China in December 20191 the virus has caused significant morbidity and mortality as it rapidly spread throughout the world. 2 COVID-19 infections was declared a global pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020
We examined how stakeholders deployed early case diagnosis and contact tracing measures during Ghana's COVID-19 response in three different settings
Identification and diagnosis of index cases On March 13 2020, a day after Ghana recorded its first case of COVID-19, a 36-year old female student in a training institution who had returned from a trip abroad a week earlier reported to a private facility with a history of fever, cough, general weakness, runny nose, headache
Summary
Since the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID -19), was identified in Wuhan City in the Hubei Province of China in December 20191 the virus has caused significant morbidity and mortality as it rapidly spread throughout the world. 2 COVID-19 infections was declared a global pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020. Ghana recorded its first case on March 12, 2020 and total cases and deaths stood at over 17,000 and 100 respectively by the end of June 2020. Complete contact listing, timely contact tracing and prompt isolation of cases are key to preventing transmission of outbreaks such as COVID-19. These measures help control sporadic cases and clusters and prevent community transmission through effective mechanisms for quarantine, isolation, treatment and monitoring of contacts and cases, and suppression of www.ghanamedj.org Volume 55 Number 2 supplement June 2021. Outbreak responses, including early diagnosis and contact tracing, affect the impact of outbreaks. An effective response involves both the community and other stakeholders.[8,9,10] Stakeholders in outbreak response refer to individuals and groups who form part of the affected population or might be affected by the effect of the outbreak and are interested in the response process are willing to take ownership of it in their setting.[8,10]
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