Eastern Cape Closing Some Schools For Disinfection Due To Positive COVID-19 Cases

The Eastern Cape Department of Education on Thursday said schools in the province that had recorded positive COVID-19 cases would be closed for a week for disinfection.

The department was forced to close a number of schools after 25 people tested positive for the coronavirus.

Forty-eight other people from various schools suspected of having the virus were under observation.

This came a week after schools were officially reopened after over two months of no classes due to the national lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The provincial education department said they had to follow this procedure to prevent further coronavirus infections. The department could not say exactly how many schools were affected.

The reopening of schools was a contentious issue, with some saying there were not enough protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Eastern Cape Department of Education’s spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani called for calm.

“The guidance that we have received from the Department of Health is that we have to make sure that we clean the schools and schools won’t be closed for longer than a week,” he said.

Pulumani said those infected would self-isolate or quarantine.

EWN