Researcher advocates for funding of COVID-19 vaccine efforts

A Molecular Biologist, Professor Dr James Agyei has highlighted the essence of funding research on Coronavirus to support the production of its vaccine and treatment.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, the Molecular Biologist, who is focused on Stem Cell Research and Effects of Virus, explained that their scope of work helps to understand the evolution of the virus hence providing guidance in treatment administration.

“[With our research on the virus] When the virus gets into the cell, it replicates so there are drugs that one use to stop the replication of the virus… Knowing the genes might help to be able to screen for drugs in an experimental setup in the laboratory or a vaccine which is very early.”

He further shared insights on the formation and evolution of the coronavirus in the body.

“The virus [Coronavirus] can only enter into the cells and the first entry is into the lungs thus through the nose, brochure into the lungs. Before it goes in [the body], it needs another protein KrMP which is a protein which helps the virus attach to a protein on the cells surface. The receptor is called HT. The virus and the protein help the virus attach to the receptor HT [easily] found in the lungs.”

Also, he added that the “receptor HT isn’t found anywhere in the body but in abundance in the lungs” hence this accounts for the first location of the virus in the body.

COVID-19 cases in Ghana

As at the midnight of 20th May 2020, Ghana’s COVID-19 case count had risen to 6,096, following the confirmation of 178 new cases.

The update indicated that there had been an increase in the number of cases in four regions -Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western and Central Regions.

19 more recoveries have also been confirmed, increasing the number to 1,773.

The Greater Accra Region still has the highest number of confirmed cases, followed by the Ashanti, Central and Western Regions.

Ghana requests for Madagascar’s COVID-19 herbal cure for testing – Oppong Nkrumah

The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says the government has reached out to Madagascar to make available to Ghana its supposed COVID-19 herbal remedy.

According to him, when received, the product will undergo strict testing by appropriate authorities in Ghana to prove the efficacy or otherwise of the drug.

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