Coronavirus: Nine test positive at Georgia school where photo of crowded corridor went viral

The student who shared the image was suspended and others were warned they would be punished if they did the same

(Twitter/AP)

Nine people have tested positive for Covid-19 at a Georgia high school just days after a photo of a packed hallway went viral.

Six students and three staff members who were at North Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia last week have tested positive, according to a letter sent to parents on Saturday.

The letter stated: "We have anticipated that Covid-19 would impact us as it has nearly every community, and the district has worked in partnership with the Department of Public Health (DPH) to proactively implement safety precautions and response plans.”

It did not say if anyone will be quarantined or whether the school will be closed.

Hannah Watters, 15, posted an image to social media showing students packed into a corridor - some without masks.

She was later suspended and others were warned they would be punished if they did the same.

​She said: “It was worse than I thought it was going to be. I didn't feel safe, especially coming home to family after going to school."

Her suspension was rescinded on Friday following an outcry, and she said she planned to return to school on Monday - before news of the positive tests were announced.

The school wrote a letter to parents after the release of the photos, saying: "Under the Covid-19 protocols we have adopted, class changes that look like this may happen, especially at a high school with more than 2,000 students."

Donald Trump and education secretary Betsy DeVos have both pushed for schools to reopen for in-person learning whenever possible.