Ghana to reopen international airport after five months with new regulations to curb spread of Covid-19

Ghana will reopen its international airport on Tuesday but with new regulations in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the president announced.

Kotoka International Airport, located outside the capital Accra, was closed in March along with other border points in a bid to contain the virus in the west African country.

"I am glad to announce that Kotoka International Airport will reopen and resume operations from Tuesday, 1st September 2020," President Nana Akufo-Addo said in a nationwide broadcast late Sunday.

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He said land borders would remain closed.

New safety measures have been imposed to prevent passengers bringing the virus into the country.

"Any passenger arriving in Ghana must be in possession of a negative Covid-19 PCR test result from an accredited laboratory in the country of origin," he said.

The test should have been done not more than 72 hours before their departure.

All airlines are to ensure compliance with the directive for passengers wishing to travel to Ghana, he said.

In addition, arriving passengers must undergo a Covid-19 test at the airport terminal at their own cost, though children under five will be exempt, he said.

"Passengers, who test positive for Covid-19, will be handled by the health authorities for further clinical assessment and management."

The virus has so far infected 44,205 people and claimed 276 lives in in the country of around 30 million people.