COVID-19 outbreak investigations in a school in greater Gaborone, Botswana.

INTRODUCTION

many countries enforced national lockdowns, including the closure of schools, to control the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Schools are populated areas, which make them potential spreading grounds for COVID-19 if inadequate infection control and prevention measures are in place. We describe a COVID-19 outbreak in a school that signalled the 1 community transmissions of COVID-19 in Botswana following school resumption.

METHODS

a COVID-19 outbreak investigation through contact tracing and assessment of compliance with COVID-19 protocols was conducted at a school in Greater Gaborone after one of the students tested positive.

RESULTS

the index case is a 16-year-old female who had 165 contacts, of which 35.8% (59/165) of the people she was in contact with were possibly exposed and tested positive for COVID-19, while 0.6% (1/165) were lost to follow-up. The private school had 109 students and 8 staff, and a positivity rate of 66/117 (56%). In the index class, 21/25 (84%) students tested positive for COVID-19. Some of the close contacts from this school were linked to 10 other schools.

CONCLUSION

even though temperature checks are not a reliable screening modality for COVID-19, they led to the detection of community transmissions in Botswana. The reopening of schools is essential for the continuity of education; however, the failure of schools to follow COVID-19 protocols can increase the spread of COVID-19. Before the reopening of schools, control measures should be intensified and we also recommend regular spot checks by authorities to ensure compliance.