The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has attributed the spike in COVID-19 cases at the University of Ghana to mass gatherings during Hall Week celebrations, urging renewed vigilance and strict adherence to safety protocols.

Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Thursday, June 26, Director of Public Health at GHS, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, clarified that the virus has not disappeared and continues to pose a threat, especially in crowded settings.

He explained that Ghana’s surveillance systems remain active, and the recent increase in infections on campus was detected through these monitoring efforts.

According to him, the outbreak is believed to have stemmed from a cluster of students who participated in the Pent Hall Week celebrations, with one infected individual likely spreading the virus during the event.

“COVID never left. COVID has been with us since 2020. Somewhere last year, the Director-General of WHO said COVID is no longer an issue of emergency, but we never said COVID is gone. If it were, the WHO would have declared an end to the pandemic.

“This is not the first time we have recorded the virus in recent weeks. But due to complications from close contact at such events, we’re now seeing more noticeable cases. What happened was that there was this hall week celebration, and because we have a cluster of students, one of them who have had the virus must have caused the spread of the virus, but I want to put in context that covid never left and this is not the first time we are getting the virus. What we need to do is go back to the protocols to contain it,” he said.

Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe commended the University of Ghana’s decision to suspend all social gatherings, describing it as a strategic move to limit further transmission.

“The university directive is an idea to prevent the spread of the virus,” he added.

On Monday, June 23, the University of Ghana confirmed a resurgence of COVID-19 cases on its campus, prompting concerns from both health officials and university authorities. In response, the university announced an immediate suspension of all social events, encouraging students and staff to observe all COVID-19 preventive measures.

In a statement released on Thursday, June 26, the university’s health directorate revealed that both suspected and confirmed cases had been recorded, leading to a reactivation of internal health protocols.