South African university reports COVID-19 cluster outbreak

 

A total of 55 students from South Africa’s University of Pretoria tested positive for COVID-19, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande said on Friday.

“We are aggressively working on contact tracing with the help of the health department and have tested and screened a large number of students and staff over the last few days,” he said.

As screening and testing are still ongoing this week, the minister said, there is a probability that the number of positive cases may rise.

He added that they are also working with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases to investigate the outbreak.

The authorities have established screening stations around the affected residences, Nzimande said, noting that other medical facilities including mobile health units and institutional campus clinics have also been stationed to offer psychosocial and other health assistance to the affected residents.

He called on students, lecturers and all staff to observe COVID-19 health protocols and guidelines as the 2021 academic year gets under way.