According to the Ghana Health Service (GHS), as of Saturday, July 3, Achimota Senior High School has 135 positive cases of COVID-19.
It said some of the infections were caused by the Delta strain.
The first reported COVID-19 case caused by the delta variant (B.1.617.2) was discovered in October 2020 in the Indian state of Maharashtra and has since spread extensively across India and throughout the globe.
Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, said during a press conference in Accra on Sunday that the cases were discovered after 843 pupils and employees from the School were sampled and tested.
He stated there were 348 boarding students, 459 day students, and 36 teaching and non-teaching personnel.
According to the Director-General, 550 test results were available, with 293 still waiting.
He said that at the time of diagnosis, all 135 patients were either asymptomatic or had mild to moderate illness.
“As of today, Sunday, July 4, 89 of those infected at the School have recovered with 46 still active and undergoing treatment,” he said.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said that the GHS has started education on all COVID-19 infections and preventative measures at the School in order to prevent the virus from spreading further.
He further said that the Service will evaluate cases on a daily basis and release eligible students and employees on isolation in accordance with GHS discharge policy.
”Together with the Ghana Education Service, there will be enforcement of Infection Prevention and Control protocols on campus as well as strategic testing of all the day students to identify and contain further community spread,” Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said.
He said that the Alpha strain has been identified as the prevalent strain in Ghana out of a total of 1,212 COVID-19 genomic sequences performed since July 2020.
The Delta strain was discovered in Ghana in April 2021, among international arrivals at the Kotoka International Airport, and it was discovered in the community in July, he added.
He raised concern about non-compliance with COVID-19 procedures, stating, “The confirmation of the delta variant in the population may generate an upsurge in infections.”
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye emphasized the need of enforcing current COVID-19 procedures and ensuring general public access to vaccines.
He advised people to wear masks, maintain social distance, and wash their hands with soap and running water on a regular basis.
On May 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the Delta strain as a “variant of concern” (VOC).
The variant is currently found in about 80 countries, including Ghana, and is the most transmissible coronavirus strain.
So far, the Delta strain has been associated with headaches, sore throats, runny noses, and fever.
More “traditional” Covid-19 symptoms like coughing and loss of smell are reported to be more uncommon today, with younger individuals suffering from a severe cold.
WHO, on the other hand, has cautioned that the Delta variant is extremely infectious and the quickest coronavirus strain, which would “pluck out” the most susceptible individuals in areas with poor vaccination rates.
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SOURCE: ATLFM ONLINE
