Ghanaian scientists analyse genetic materials of COVID-19, obtains massive information to help contact tracing

A team of scientists from the University of Ghana have obtained massive information about COVID-19 to help in contact tracing.

The team consists of scientists from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) of the University of Ghana have made impressive stride into tracking of COVID-19 virus.

This new stride was made known by the Public Affairs Directorate of the University of Ghana.

They came by this conclusion after the scientists analysed 15 samples from some selected cases in Ghana to gain a comprehensive understanding of the differences of the virus in the country.

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The samples were taken from travellers from UK, Norway, Hungary, India, United States, and the United Arab Emirates as well as nine from persons who had no history of travel and believed to have had community infections.

This new information will enable tracing of community infections in people that did not come into contact with confirmed cases.

Vice President Bawumia congratulated the scientists for this work done and said this will help in the fight against the deadly virus.

 

A statement signed by the Director of the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Professor Gordon Awandare stated that they have been able to analyse the genetic materials of COVID-19 and there are some differences between the strains from the various countries, all the genomes have a resemblance to the strain isolated in the Wuhan Province where the outbreak began.

Below is the statement