University of Ghana sequences COVID-19 Genome in Ghana

At the University of Ghana, scientists have successfully sequenced the genomes of the coronavirus in Ghana. The feat, which was achieved through the collaborative effort of scientists from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), represents an important milestone in understanding the variations of the virus and has already been shared on the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database. The Noguchi Memorial Institute, which is one of the two facilities initially designated for testing the Coronavirus remains Ghana’s primary testing facility for all suspected COVID-19 cases, accounting for over 80 percent of tests nationally. The University of Ghana also has a new 617-bed medical facility which has been designated as one of the COVID-19 care centres in Ghana.