About 55 students and staff have tested positive for coronavirus.
The Ghana Health Service and Ghana Education Service made this known in a joint statement made available to DGN Online.
According to the statement jointly signed by the Director General of GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye and Director General of GES, Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, following reports of COVID-19 cases in some Senior High Schools in the country on 6th July, 2020, the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service instituted a number of measures to determine the extent of the outbreak and containment measures.
The statement said Accra Girls Senior High School has recorded most cases from the first report to date.
It says as at 13th July, 2020, a total of 314 persons (student and staff) from the School have been tested.
“Out of these, 55 have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 while 259 persons tested negative,” the statement indicated.
Actions Taken So Far
The statement said a number of actions have been undertaken, including the “Identification and segregation of contact from other students; Sample collection and laboratory testing of all contacts identified and
suspected cases.
It added that all confirmed cases have been transferred to designated national treatment and isolation centres for management.
“Restriction of number of students that attend dining at a particular time; Enforcement of social distancing protocols, enhanced hand hygiene
practices and the proper use of the facemask; Disinfection of the entire school has been carried out; Adequate PPEs have been provided to health staff stationed in the school; Education on COVID-19 prevention and control has been intensified within the school; Counselling and psychological support is being provided to the students; The school has designated a quarantine and isolation centre; Parents and guardians of affected student have been duly contacted,” are among the measures taken so far.
“Staff of the school have been reassured. Similarly, a few other schools have reported sporadic cases which have not experience a surge. To prevent spread of COVID-19 in senior high schools across the country, similar measures are being implemented,” it added.
“Ghana Education Service working with Ghana Health Service wishes to inform parents, guardians and the general public that efforts are being made to ensure the safety of our staff and students.”
By Melvin Tarlue