Ghana Medical Journal
Journal / Ghana Medical Journal / Vol. 55 No. 2 (2021): Supplement / Articles

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Published:

Sep 1, 2021

DOI:

10.4314/gmj.v55i2s.7

Keywords:

COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 mandatory quarantine Ghana international travellers testing

Issue

Vol. 55 No. 2 (2021): Supplement

Section

Articles

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Bright Adu

Immunology Department. Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. Off Akilagpa Sawyerr Road. PO Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana

Joseph K. H. Bonney

Virology Department. Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. Off Akilagpa Sawyerr Road. PO Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana

John K. Odoom

Virology Department. Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. Off Akilagpa Sawyerr Road. PO Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana

Evelyn Y. A. Bonney

Virology Department. Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. Off Akilagpa Sawyerr Road. PO Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana

Evangeline Obodai

Virology Department. Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. Off Akilagpa Sawyerr Road. PO Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana

Ivy A. Asante

Virology Department. Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. Off Akilagpa Sawyerr Road. PO Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana

James Aboagye

Virology Department. Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. Off Akilagpa Sawyerr Road. PO Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana

Mildred A. Adusei-Poku

Department of Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School. College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. PO Box GP 4236, Accra, Ghana

Lawrence Lartey

Disease Surveillance Department, Ghana Health Service, Private Mail Bag, Ministries, Accra. Ghana

Ernest K. Asiedu

National Quality Management Unit, Ministry of Health, P.O.Box M 44, Ministries, Accra, Ghana

William K. Ampofo

Immunology Department. Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. Off Akilagpa Sawyerr Road. PO Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana

George B. Kyei

Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, USA.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 detection among international travellers to Ghana during mandatory quarantine.
Design: A retrospective cross-sectional study.
Setting: Air travellers to Ghana on 21st and 22nd March 2020.
Participants: On 21st and 22nd March 2020, a total of 1,030 returning international travellers were mandatorily quarantined in 15 different hotels in Accra and tested for SARS-CoV-2. All of these persons were included in the study.
Main outcome measure: Positivity for SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction.
Results: The initial testing at the beginning of quarantine found 79 (7.7%) individuals to be positive for SARS-CoV-2. In the exit screening after 12 to 13 days of quarantine, it was discovered that 26 of those who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 in the initial screening subsequently tested positive.
Conclusions: Ghana likely averted an early community spread of COVID-19 through the proactive approach to quarantine international travellers during the early phase of the pandemic.

Journal Identifiers

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print ISSN: 0016-9560