The death toll from COVID-19 in Ghana has risen to five, the Ghana Health Service has announced.

Also, four new cases have been confirmed, bringing the total to 141.

The new cases were confirmed at 1520GMT on Saturday, 28 March 2020.

This brings the number of community cases to 62 while the number of cases among those who have been mandatorily quarantined, is now 79.

Minus those who tested positive under mandatory quarantine, the spread is in the Greater Accra Region – 54, Ashanti Region – 7 and the Upper West Region – 1.

"As of 14:00 hours on the 28th March 2020, a total of 2,519 persons have been tested for COVID-19 in Ghana. Among the tested, 1,276 (50.7%) were persons under mandatory quarantine with 1,243 (49.3%) from routine surveillance activities. Among all 2,519 persons tested, one hundred and forty-one (141) tested positive representing 5.6%.

"Among persons under mandatory quarantine, 79 representing 6.2% tested positive. Among samples tested from routine surveillance, sixty-two (62) representing 5.0% tested positive.

"Only three regions have so far reported cases- the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Upper West Regions from routine disease surveillance. One case has been confirmed in the Upper West Region. The Ashanti Region has recorded 7 of the 8 cases recorded outside the Greater Accra Region. All other 54 cases from routine surveillance were recorded in the Greater Accra Region.

"A total of 731 contacts of confirmed cases are currently being followed up by the contact tracing team. Among contacts, 53 were found to have symptoms and 48 have been tested with one person testing positive.

"Two hundred and thirty-one contacts have completed the mandatory 14-day follow-up", the GHS said.

None of the patients is in critical condition, the GHS noted.

President Nana Akufo-Addo announced a partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi on Friday to further tighten the noose on the spread.