SARS-CoV-2 detection among international air travellers to Ghana during mandatory quarantine

Adu, Bright; Bonney, Joseph Kofi; Odoom, John Kofi; Bonney, Evelyn Yayra; Obodai, Evangeline; Asante, Ivy A.; Aboagye, James; Adusei-Poku, Mildred; Lartey, Lawrence; Asiedu, Ernest Konadu; Ampofo, William; Kyei, George B.

doi:10.4314/gmj.v55i2s.7

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This led to travel restrictions and border control measures in many countries (33). While a study in Ghana reported 10.2% positivity among quarantined air travelers returning to Ghana, 21.5% of travelers tested positive in Canada during the mandatory quarantine period (30,31).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The role of asymptomatic carriers in the spread of infectious diseases has been recognized in similar respiratory viral outbreaks before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (23). During the International travel has played a major role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 with evidence of SARS-CoV-2 importation documented in many studies, including one from Ghana (30)(31)(32). This led to travel restrictions and border control measures in many countries (33).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…International travel has played a major role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 with evidence of SARS-CoV-2 importation documented in many studies, including one from Ghana ( 30 – 32 ). This led to travel restrictions and border control measures in many countries ( 33 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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SARS-CoV-2 infections among asymptomatic individuals contributed to COVID-19 cases: A cross-sectional study among prospective air travelers from Ghana

Akowuah

Akuffo²,

Boateng³

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundThe spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by asymptomatic individuals has been reported since the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in various parts of the world. However, there are limited data regarding SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic individuals in Ghana. The aim of the study was to use test data of prospective travelers from Ghana as a proxy to estimate the contribution of asymptomatic cases to the spread of COVID-19.MethodsThe study analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 PCR test data of clients whose purpose for testing was classified as “Travel” at the COVID-19 walk-in test center of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) from July 2020 to July 2021. These individuals requesting tests for travel generally had no clinical symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of testing. Data were processed and analyzed using Microsoft Excel office 16 and STATA version 16. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data on test and demographic characteristics.ResultsOut of 42,997 samples tested at the center within that period, 28,384 (66.0%) were classified as “Travel” tests. Of these, 1,900 (6.7%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The majority (64.8%) of the “Travel” tests were requested by men. The men recorded a SARS-CoV-2 positivity of 6.9% compared to the 6.4% observed among women. Test requests for SARS-CoV-2 were received from all regions of Ghana, with a majority (83.3%) received from the Greater Accra Region. Although the Eastern region recorded the highest SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate of 8.35%, the Greater Accra region contributed 81% to the total number of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases detected within the period of study.ConclusionOur study found substantial SARS-CoV-2 positivity among asymptomatic individuals who, without the requirement for a negative SARS-CoV-2 result for travel, would have no reason to test. These asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals could have traveled to other countries and unintentionally spread the virus. Our findings call for enhanced tracing and testing of asymptomatic contacts of individuals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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SARS-CoV-2 infections among asymptomatic individuals contributed to COVID-19 cases: A cross-sectional study among prospective air travelers from Ghana

Akowuah

Akuffo²,

Boateng³

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

Self Cite

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Effectiveness of Ghana’s COVID-19 policy responses and lessons learnt for the future: A multi-methods evaluation

Crankson,

Pokhrel,

Anokye

2024

Preprint

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Ghana implemented various mitigating policies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This study examined the effectiveness of these policies to contribute to the ongoing discussions on proactive and pre-emptive interventions for similar future outbreaks. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methods were used for the analysis. Data were drawn from multiple sources, including peer-reviewed and grey literature, and academic experts from Ghanaian universities. The data from the literature informed a questionnaire that was sent to independent academic experts to explore their opinions on whether the policies met their intended objectives. The experts’ opinions were collected on a 5-point Likert scale and from an open-ended question using an online data collection platform, Qualtrics. The data were evaluated using narrative synthesis, descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. We identified and evaluated eight key COVID-19 policy responses in Ghana: (1) partial lockdown of epicentres; (2) COVID-19 public awareness campaigns; (3) ban on public gatherings; (4) COVID-19 vaccination; (5) border closures; (6) entry border COVID-19 screening; (7) incentives for healthcare workers (HCWs); and (8) the Ghana Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support (GCARES). Two policies - the COVID-19 awareness campaigns and border closure - effectively improved public awareness of COVID-19 and helped to reduce COVID-19 case importation (median score ≥4). Ghana’s COVID-19 public awareness campaigns and border closure policies could serve as a valuable model for informing proactive interventions to address future infectious disease outbreaks.

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Une gouvernance sanitaire agile ? L’expérience des drones médicaux dans la gestion de la pandémie du Covid-19 au Ghana1

Eyenga¹

2023

etudesafricaines

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SARS-CoV-2 detection among international air travellers to Ghana during mandatory quarantine

Cited by 3 publications

References 8 publications

SARS-CoV-2 infections among asymptomatic individuals contributed to COVID-19 cases: A cross-sectional study among prospective air travelers from Ghana

SARS-CoV-2 infections among asymptomatic individuals contributed to COVID-19 cases: A cross-sectional study among prospective air travelers from Ghana

Effectiveness of Ghana’s COVID-19 policy responses and lessons learnt for the future: A multi-methods evaluation

Une gouvernance sanitaire agile ? L’expérience des drones médicaux dans la gestion de la pandémie du Covid-19 au Ghana1

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