98 pupils test positive for Covid-19 in one Eastern Cape school

Multidisciplinary team deployed to manage outbreak but mock matric exams to go ahead as scheduled

A tracing process has been launched after 98 Ethembeni High School pupils tested positive for Covid-19.

Pupils from Burgersdorp and Middelburg who attend the school have been affected, the Eastern Cape education department said late on Saturday.

Education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said all contacts of the pupils were urgently being tracked and traced to curb the spread of the virus.

“An outbreak comes through one or two people who have tested positive for Covid-19,” Mtima said.

“Some schools have links with clinics to quickly get the affected children seen and inform the joint task teams. Intervention is quick, we don’t wait.”

Describing the tracing process, Mtima said: “The process is that when you have one child declared positive, we start tracing the contacts; for example, which classes the pupil attended and who they were in contact with.

“The affected school can be closed for two to three days for decontamination while those affected are in quarantine.”

A multi-departmental team, comprising members of the local municipality and the departments of health and public works and education, has been established to manage the outbreak and advise on measures suitable for learners, especially those writing their mock matric exams.

“Currently, the team has advised the department to allow the pupils to write, as there are no reasons to stop the learners since they are medically fit. Invigilators have been advised to put on PPE and scripts will be monitored for a specified period before being marked.”

The team will outline a road map to ensure pupils do not transfer the virus to their homes. The team is working with families of the affected pupils, testing them and providing them with their results so that they can adopt regulated coping mechanisms should they test positive.

According to education MEC Fundile Gade, the team will assess the situation daily.

“A report submitted by the department of health has just indicated that 552 learners will be quarantined. The report further confirmed that contact tracing has started,” said Gade.

“Of the 685 learners and teachers tested, 98 learners have tested positive. Our team is giving hourly updates to help establish the number of matrics from this group who tested positive for isolation.

“Public works has indicated that these learners will be isolated in Aliwal North. In this centre, learners will be allowed to continue writing their trial exams.”

Most grades returned school on August 24.

Schools closed on July 24 as the government braced for many parts of the country to reach a peak in Covid-19 infections.

In June, the Dispatch reported that 204 Covid-19 positive cases were confirmed at Makaula Senior Secondary School in KwaBhaca. The number included pupils and support staff at the school, which is in the Alfred Nzo district.

The current academic year has been extended beyond 2020. to