Ghana begins new COVID policy for China travel

Beginning on Friday, travelers arriving in Ghana from China will require screening for COVID-19 due to concern over the current rise of coronavirus cases in China.
They will need to produce a 48-hour negative PCR test and undergo a mandatory antigen test on arrival. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is urging caution for people traveling from Ghana to China as well. “As much as possible, only essential travel should be undertaken until further notice,” the ministry said in its statement.
Several countries have reinstituted China travel bans or precautions because of COVID outbreak numbers, including Japan and the United States. Morocco instituted a ban on Tuesday.
“With circulation in China so high and comprehensive data not forthcoming – as I said last week it is understandable that some countries are taking steps they believe will protect their own citizens,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, on Wednesday.
Tedros said WHO continues to press Beijing for COVID data, particularly as the country changed its lockdown policy in recent weeks. Officials have held high-level meetings with Chinese authorities over the past week to discuss the rise in cases and hospitalizations.
“We believe that the current numbers being published from China underrepresents the true impact of the disease in terms of hospital admissions, in terms of ICU admissions, and particularly in terms of deaths,” said Dr. Mike Ryan, head of the WHO Health Emergencies Program.
Chinese officials have balked at allegations, made by the U.S. and others, that it is not being transparent about the COVID crisis.
“Health experts from many countries have said that entry restrictions targeting China are unnecessary,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. That said, China also will require arrivals to show a negative COVID test beginning Sunday.
Image: GACL file