The Gauteng Education Department says the Grayston Preparatory school, North of Johannesburg, will be reopened on Wednesday.
The school was closed following reports that one of the educators had been in contact with a person who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
Departmental Spokesperson Steve Mabona says, “We can confirm that Grayston Preparatory school will be opening its doors on Wednesday. On Tuesday they will be doing a deep cleaning. In preparation for learners that will be coming back on Wednesday. They have been in meetings with our official, health, and NICD just to get guidance.”
In the video below, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says they’ll rely on coronavirus updates from the National Health Department before taking any drastic action at schools.
A deep-cleansing is expected at the school on Tuesday and the educator will remain in self-imposed isolation for the quarantine period.
‘Not yet time to interrupt schooling’
Health minister Zweli Mkhize says despite the latest developments regarding the coronavirus, it is not yet time for the government to interrupt schooling.
Four more people, who were part of the group that returned from Italy recently, also tested positive for the virus. This brings the total number of confirmed infections to 7 — six in KwaZulu-Natal and one in Gauteng.
Mkhize says the Inter-Ministerial Committee Dealing with coronavirus is in constant touch with the Department of Education.
“We do interact closely with the Department of Education and no issuing of a directive for schools to close. So anywhere where there might be such a call, there might be an ad hoc situation happening in a spare of the moment. We will communicate with the department. But this could be where parents are concerned that their children could be infected.”
SABC’s Chriselda Lewis gives a summary of unfolding events:
Concerns over lack of education
Teachers’ union Sadtu has raised concerns over what it believes is a lack of education at schools about the coronavirus. Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi says no attempts have been made to ensure that workplaces comply with labour standards in order to mitigate against the spread of the virus.
“The NEC then resolved to engage the Department of Basic Education to develop learning materials to empower learners and teachers. They’ve also emphasised that the materials should include the toolkits published by the World Health Organisation. In the meantime, they advise that everything should be done to ensure that basic hand hygiene is adopted by all workers and learners as part of preventative measures why learning materials are being developed.”
INFOGRAPHIC: Seven #Coronavirus cases now confirmed in South Africa
SA on high alert
South Africa remains on high alert and capable to curb the spread and further infections of the deadly coronavirus. More than 3 600 people have died globally since the outbreak was first reported in China in December.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee dealing with Coronavirus briefed the media in Pretoria.
Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize announces four more confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa:
“Four of them have also now tested positive. One is a couple in KZN in the area around the Mgungundlovu area a 38-year-old male and female. They have been put on quarantine. Another person is a 45-year-old male again in the area of PMB. The next one is another male who is in the area of PMB as well. So this one again is a 38-year-old male who has been found to also be positive,” Dr Mkhize explains.
He confirmed that the results of a patient who was reportedly tested for suspected COVID-19 infection in the North West came out negative. The patient is currently quarantined and the medical staff is conducting further tests.
Mkhize elaborates, “When the first test was done, it created the impression that it was very unclear maybe a diagnosis. And we were a bit concerned, it could’ve another person tested positive. But at least we’ve now confirmed it has come out negative.”
The government says it is aware of the rush to buy hand sanitisers amid concern about the virus in South Africa – but Mkhize has assured people that regular and thorough hand washing is adequate. People are urged to wash their hands regularly for 20 seconds.
Reduce your risk of coronavirus:
Coronavirus hotline:
-Additional reporting by Phanuel Shuma
