Coronavirus alert: Ghanaians travelling to China urged to buy medical insurance

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has advised all Ghanaians who intend travelling to virus-hit China to buy medical insurance before embarking on their trip.

China has been in the news after it was hit with the coronavirus.

Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, where the virus has been traced to a seafood market is under lockdown with residents advised to stay indoors.

Some 152 Ghanaian students in the city of Wuhan have appealed to the government of Ghana to evacuate them back home until the virus has been brought under control.

This call was, however, shot down by the director of public health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr Badu Sarkodie.

But the Foreign Affairs Ministry says they are in talks with Ghana’s Embassy in China and Chinese authorities to find possible ways of ensuring the safety of Ghanaians living in China.

A statement issued by the ministry said: “the mission has advised all Ghanaians to stay indoors and adhere to preventive precautions outlined by the Chinese authorities”.

“The ministry and our mission in Beijing are currently engaging with relevant authorities both in Ghana and China on various possibilities for the safety of all Ghanaian nationals and the general public will be updated subsequently” the statement read.

The ministry also stated that so far, no Ghanaian has been infected with the coronavirus.

As part of measures to ensure safety from the coronavirus, the ministry has advised Ghanaians who intend travelling to China to “acquaint themselves with the nearest medical facility where they treat high fevers and also speak English or have a translator who can help in case of any emergency”.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has warned its members to avoid business trips to China until the virus has been completely dealt with.

The death toll from the new coronavirus now stands at 106, as cases of new infections have almost doubled in a day, Chinese authorities said.

The number of total confirmed cases in China rose to 4,515 as of 27 January, up from 2,835 a day earlier.

Travel restrictions have been tightened and wearing masks in public is now mandatory in some cities.

The city of Wuhan is at the epicentre of the outbreak but it has spread across China and internationally.

Wuhan, and the Hubei province it is located in, are already effectively in a lockdown with transport restrictions in and out of the area.

On Monday, authorities in Beijing confirmed a 50-year-old man had died – the first fatality in the Chinese capital from the virus.