Three Ghanaians have been confirmed dead as a result of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy and Denmark.
Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway who disclosed this to journalists outside parliament Wednesday said two of them died in Italy.
She, however, says the situation is not critical and won’t require the evacuation of Ghanaians in hard-hit countries.
Madam Ayorkor Botchway also advising Ghanaians abroad to be careful.
“We have actually advised people [not to travel back] even our officers and those who have finished their tour of duty and are supposed to come back home.
“We have asked them to stay on…We have given them a month. If it is still raging after a month we will give them more time,” she told the journalists.
According to her, “We have advised Ghanaians generally everywhere to stay put unless it is absolutely necessary. But for our staff who need to come home, we have asked them to stay.”
She said conferences and workshops have been cancelled so every country is ensuring that they take precautionary measures.
Meanwhile, travellers from outside the EU are being turned away from airports and borders, after the 27-country bloc imposed a 30-day ban to halt the spread of coronavirus.
A group flying in from Turkey was turned away from Germany’s biggest airport in Frankfurt late on Tuesday, DPA news agency reports.
EU leaders agreed that internal borders that have been erected in recent days should come down.
Many Europeans work across borders.
More than 185,000 people have been infected worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Europe has been identified by the WHO as now the “epicentre of the epidemic”. Latest figures say some 3,400 people have died in Europe alone.
Belgium is the latest EU country to introduce a lockdown for its 11.4 million citizens.
People have been urged to stay at home as much as possible and only essential travel will be allowed. Most shops will close, but physical activity is allowed as long as people respect social distancing.