A worker at AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi gold mine in Ghana has tested positive for the Covid-19 virus.
This is the second known case of the virus at a mine site in Africa following a case at a Burkina Faso mine operated by Endeavour mining.
The underground Obuasi gold mine operation is in the Ashanti region, which is approximately 60km south of Kumasi city in Ghana.
The infected employee, who is currently in self-isolation, is a Ghanaian living in mine accommodation. He had recently returned from the UK.
AngloGold Ashanti noted that it is working with Ghana’s Ministry of Health to trace all the employee’s contacts.
Reuters quoted the company as saying: “Anglogold Ashanti Ghana remains in a state of high alert and preparedness to deal with the global challenge presented by the COVID-19 outbreak.”
Meanwhile, the company noted that its non-essential staff will work remotely until further notice and any arriving travellers will have to be self-quarantined for at least two weeks.
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AngloGold Ashanti noted that operations at the Obuasi mine in Ghana would continue.
Until now, Ghana has reported six cases of the novel coronavirus, while total infected cases in South Africa now rises to 62.
The Covid-19 death toll has increased to more than 7,154 globally . A total of over 182,400 confirmed cases and 79,400 recoveries have been reported as of the end of 16 March.Amid rising coronavirus deaths and cases globally, the World Health Organization has recommended testing of all suspected cases.