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Health and Higher Education Departments form COVID-19 cluster outbreak investigation teams

April 3, 2021

The Higher Education and Health Departments have formed COVID-19 cluster outbreak investigation teams. They are currently screening and testing students and staff at institutions of higher learning across the country.

The University of Pretoria has a few infections. However, other universities and colleges have reported an increase in infections.

Higher Education spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi, ” Higher Health is working with the institutions. The local DOH, the NICD and the NHLS has formulated cluster outbreak investigation teams. Over 3 000 students and staff are being screened and contact traced, with over 200 being tested, thus far. Further, the DOH and Health have developed screening stations around the affected residences.”

Minister of Higher Education Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande has expressed concern over reports of increases in coronavirus infections at various tertiary institutions in the country. Higher Health, the agency mandated by the department to safeguard student health and wellbeing, says it is worried about the trend.

“While COVID-19 has largely been detrimental for the older population groups, the virus is mutating and new variants are showing a higher affinity towards young people who can serve as carriers and fasten the spread of infection. Unfortunately, that would fire up the third wave,” Nzimande warned in a statement.

SA’s latest COVID-19 stats

1 273 new coronavirus infections have been recorded in South Africa in the past 24-hour cycle, putting the cumulative number of cases at 1 550 724. Forty-nine more people have succumbed to COVID-19 related complications. This puts the national death toll at 52 946. The recovery rate now stands at 1 475 398.