Authorities in Ghana have started a two-week lockdown on Monday of three cities – Accra, Tema and Kumasi – that were identified as hotspots for the spread of coronavirus.
President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the order on Friday to prevent the spread of the virus and help with being able to trace people who’ve been in contact with positive cases.
It prompted a mass movement of people out of those three affected cities over the weekend. This in turn has raised serious concerns about the possibility of people spreading the disease in other parts of the country.
Only Ghanaians providing essential services like health workers, some key government officials, restaurants and food vendors can now go out.
Residents of the affected cities will also be allowed to go out to buy food.
Commercial vehicles are operating but with a reduced number of passengers.
Over 35,000 joint police and military personnel have been deployed to enforce the directives.
Ghana’s borders remain shut. The country has so far recorded more than 150 confirmed cases of the disease and five deaths.
