Parliament: 12 more test positive for COVID-19 after re-testing exercise

Parliament has recorded 12 more cases of the COVID-19 virus within its enclave.

Most of the cases involve auxiliary members of the House with a few being Members of Parliament (MPs).

These persons tested positive after a Coronavirus re-testing exercise was conducted ahead of today’s resumption of parliamentary sitting following the three-week shutdown due to an earlier outbreak in the House.

550 persons comprising MPs and parliamentary staff participated in the re-testing exercise out of which 12 tested positive.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin announced the outcome of the exercise in his opening remarks on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.

“The retesting revealed that out of a total of 550 MPs and staff who retested, only 12 tested positive and are currently in isolation. Majority of them were the auxiliary staff. This represents a positivity rate of 2 percent as compared to the national positivity rate of between 10-12 percent.”

He said it is also his expectation that all MPs and staff who are required to re-test actually do submit themselves.

In the meantime, the Speaker has hinted that the house will also roll out a vaccination program for COVID-19 soon urging members to avail themselves when the time is due.

“Following the safe delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in the country, I together in consultation with the leadership of this house will soon a roll-out plan towards the vaccination of honourable members and other staff”, he said.

Alban Bagbin also used the occasion to advise members to continually adhere to the safety guidelines in order to slow the spread of the virus within the precincts of Parliament.

“As we resume today, I believe we will all adhere to the time tested protocols that the COVID-19 pandemic requires of us while we are in the offices, and everywhere we find ourselves.”

He added that, “let me assure this house and the good people of Ghana that Parliament will not just adhere to the protocols but will also provide proactive measures that will ensure the safety of this house and all others”.