Government has allocated GHS2.5 million as a start-up fund to fight coronavirus.

Health Minister Kweku Agyeman Manu revealed this in Parliament today, Tuesday, 4 February 2020.

“The government of Ghana has allocated an amount of GHS2.5 million as start-up funds towards the implementation of the initial response for our national preparedness plan. The Ministry of Health has, therefore, initiated the process to procure 10,000 pieces of personal protective equipment for the use of all our frontline health workers.

“Arrangements are also being made, Mr Speaker, to procure insurance cover for all frontline health workers who maybe engaged to do this work for us. We are in this together Mr Speaker and, therefore, we call on the private sector and our development partners to give their full support to our national health force in this period of preparedness,” he said. 

At least 427 people have died with more than 20,000 confirmed cases around the world, most of them in China.

More than two dozen nations have reported cases but, so far, no confirmations have been made across Africa or Latin America.

On Tuesday, three more Asian countries - Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand - confirmed infections among citizens who had not travelled to China.

Officials say 425 people have died in China and one in Hong Kong.

One death has also been confirmed in the Philippines.

Coronaviruses are spread through air droplets expelled when an infected individual coughs or sneezes within a range of about 3 feet.

Health professionals across the world are working around the clock to find a cure for the disease.