COVID-19 Hits Swedru School

The Swedru School of Business in Agona Swedru in the Central Region has reported a case of the novel coronavirus on its campus.

The disease was reportedly detected after a 19 year old Visual Arts student who had reported to school on July 24, 2020 at about 3pm started showing symptoms of the disease.

The student (name withheld) who had come into contact with about thirty students in his class and an estimated fifty students in his dormitory has been in isolation in Accra.

A letter authored by Dr. Peter King Mensah, the Managing Physician at the COVID Treatment Centre of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital addressed to the Headmaster of the School dated July 17, 2020 confirmed that the patient (name withheld) is at the facility for treatment.

It stated in part: “He is however required to remain in isolation for the next two weeks.”

This has sparked fear among some parents of the school.

Some parents of the school who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity are worried that their wards could be carriers of the virus if there is no mass testing for the students.

In the instant case, sources say on July 7, 2020, the patient started feeling feverish and dizzy and went to the school’s sick bay in the morning.

It said they checked the patient’s BP and it had gone up and that later in the day, his condition became critical and was taken to the Swedru government hospital by the Senior House Master and his bedmate with two other female students.

The ladies were discharged that same day but the Covid student was admitted till the next day July, 8 2020.

In the morning, the student’s mother was invited to the hospital where she was told, the symptoms are similar to the coronavirus and that she can’t touch her son.

The patient was subsequently transported in an ambulance to the Ridge hospital in Accra where he was informed that he has tested positive for covid.

However on July 16, Doctors at the facility refused to discharge the patient upon request that he will start his WASSCE practical exams today July 20, 2020.

The doctors argued he cannot be discharged because he has tested positive for covid and needed to be isolated and treated before he can be discharged.