JUST IN: COVID-19 enters JHS as Oti Region records first case

14th July 2020

As the Coronavirus disease also known as COVID-19 continues to spread in educational institutions in Ghana, a Junior High School in the Oti Region is said to have recorded a case of the virus.

This was disclosed by the Director of Public Health for the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Badu Sarkodie, at a press conference organised by the Ministry of Information on Tuesday, July 14, 2020.

Dr. Sarkodie, however, failed to name the school in question. He also did not give details on when the case was detected or what is being done to contain the virus at the said school.

“The only reported JHS with a case is in the Oti Region. Just one. I think they [Junior High Schools] are probably adhering to the protocols more than the others,” he said.

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The Director of Public Health made the announcement while giving an update on the COVID-19 situation in schools in the country as well as concerns for the closure of educational institutions.

“The tertiary schools opened on the 15 of June and again we haven’t had many events within the tertiary and then the SHS on the 22nd and the JHS 29th June. So, based on the time, if you look at the period, 29th to now is more than two weeks and if we are going by the incubation period, should the JHS be confined, then it will be amongst the safest place for us as a country.”

“The Senior High Schools we have the data here despite the number of cases, a few of them in sporadic quantities that have been reported. The rate within the SHS is much lower than the total population in the country. The least was the Junior High Schools,” he said.

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55 students, staff test positive for COVID-19 at Accra Girls SHS

55 students and staff at the Accra Girls’ Senior High School have tested positive for COVID-19.

This was disclosed by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) on Monday, July 13, 2020, after it commenced a testing exercise at the school.

“As of 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 said.

The statement further indicated that all those who have tested positive have been sent to treatment centres.

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In a related development, some five Senior High Schools in the Western Region have recorded COVID-19 cases.

This was announced by the Western Regional Director of Health, Dr. Jacob Mahama.

“Western Region has recorded some COVID-19 cases. About five schools, each has one case but Nsei SHS in Axim has eight cases. In Archbishop Porter Girls too, we had one case but there are other cases which results haven’t come in yet.”

On her part, the Public Relations Officer of the Western Regional Education Service, Kate Biney, told Citi News: “I know that Ahantaman Girls has recorded a suspected case and Archbishop Porter Girls also has one suspected case. For Nsei, Diabene, and Adiembra, I will have to check.”