The Ashanti Region’s number of COVID-19 cases as at Wednesday, May 6, 2020 is 163 according to the Regional Health Director.

Ghana’s total number of cases stands at 2,719 cases with 292 recoveries and 18 deaths.

Dr. Tenkorang addressing the media on the successes achieved, challeneges and the way foward in the Region asserted that regardless of the increment in cases, Ghana is on track and there is no need for citizens to panic.

The Ashanti Region, which is the second hotspot of covid-19 in the country, has five death out of Ghana's 18.

According to Dr. Emmanuel Tenkorang, all the five deaths recorded are people associated with worse health conditions (comorbidities)

“We’ll like to use this opportunity to express our condolences to those that we lost in the country. May their souls rest in peace,” he said.

At a press conference at the Regional Health Directorate, Adum Kumasi on Wednesday May 6, 2020, Dr. Emmanuel Tenkorang revealed that out of the 43 districts, 17 have reported cases - 53 percent of 163 were male and 44 percent, female.

He disclosed statistics that the youngest of the affected person is 10 years whiles the oldest victim is 83 years adding that 33 people have recovered and three are currently on admission.

“Most of the individuals that we have confirmed are asymptomatic and are been managed in our various isolation centers and those whose home environment is condusive are doing self-isolation in the house,” he spoke.

The Regional Health Director further reported that 817 cumulative contacts have been logged out of the 163 cases - the number of contact under trace in the Ashanti Region is 54. The Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research (KCCR) was informed to have tested 41, 986 samples and out of that, routine surveillance has a total of 227 cases, community screening, 21,558 and a total of 1,363 travelers have been  screened.

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He enlightened that the Health Directorate have now ascertained a real time data with the help of the KCCR, which will make case management easier so as to know who to isolate and discharge as long as COVID-19 is concerned.

“As at now, 763 people who were contacts have completed their 14 days and were are working basically on how to get a real time data for all the cases. Because of the challenges with the number of cases, we were not getting a real time data and with the support of the labs, the KCCR have been able to clear the backlog.

“It’s our plan to decentralize the labs and we are working with the Ghana Health Service to set up at least two labs in addition to KCCR. One will be based in our public Health reference lab at Kumasi South and we are talking to KATH whether we can use their labs plus others.

Dr. Tenkorang commended the media for their service and called on them to continue supporting the Health Directorate to combat the COVID-19.

“We have a long way to go and you shouldn’t get tired at all so as to support the public. Continue to support the health system and the government by taking information around so to help us contain COVID-19,” he added.

He expressed sincere gratitude to the Health workers for their patriotism.