The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ghana Education Service Health (GES) have instituted key measures to determine the extent of the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Senior High Schools towards containing its spread.

This follows a report of COVID-19 cases in some Senior High Schools on July 6, with the Accra Girls Senior High School (AGISS) recording the most cases from the first report to date.

As at Monday, July 13, a total of 314 students and staff from the AGISS had been tested, out of which 55 were confirmed positive, an official statement has said.
"A few other schools have reported sporadic cases which has not experienced a surge," it said.

The statement was jointly signed by the Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, the Director General of the Ghana Education Service and Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

The GES and the GHS, it said, had been implementing containment measures such as the identification and segregation of contact from other students; sample collection and laboratory testing of all contacts identified and suspected cases; and transferring of all confirmed cases to designated national treatment and isolation centres for management.

Other measures are the restriction of the number of students that attend dining at a particular time; enforcement of social distancing protocols; and enhanced hand hygiene practices and the proper use of the facemask.

The Ministries, according to the statement, had also ensured that the schools were disinfected entirely, adequate Personal Protective Equipment were provided to health staff stationed in the school, and education on COVID-19 prevention and control intensified.

It also said counselling and psychological support was being provided to the students.
Additionally, the schools have designated quarantine and isolation centres, while the parents and guardians of affected the students were duly contacted and staff of the schools reassured.

“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,” the statement said.