Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says despite the latest developments on the coronavirus, it is not yet time for government to interrupt schooling.
Grayston Preparatory School, north of Johannesburg, was closed on Monday following reports that one of the educators had been in contact with a person who had tested positive for the virus.
Four more people, who were part of the group that returned from Italy recently, have tested positive to the virus – bringing the total number of confirmed infections in South Africa to seven.
Mkhize says the Inter-Ministerial Committee Dealing with coronavirus is in constant touch with the Department of Education.
He says: “We do interact closely with the Department of Education and the issuing of a directive for schools to close.”
“So anywhere where there might be such a call there might be an adhoc 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.”
A deep-cleansing was expected to continue at the school on Tuesday and the educator will remain in self-imposed isolation for the quarantine period.
In the video below, is an SABC News report on the concerns raised over the coronavirus outbreak:
Efforts to curb COVID-19 spread
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says schools have been advised to provide learners with information on protecting themselves against the coronavirus.
The number of infections worldwide has increased to more than 107 000 with about 3 600 deaths.
Addressing the media on Monday Motshekga said: “We had to reflect on the coronavirus because we have been receiving many inquiries on our plans to deal with it in schools.”
“We have advised our schools to ensure the children to wash their hands, cover their mouths when they cough, to avoid contact with sick people or a friend who is coughing, avoid touching their eyes and ears. It is basically guidelines that the health department has circulated that we are working on.”
Last week, Cowan House Preparatory School closed after a parent of two of its pupils tested positive for the coronavirus.
The children’s mother has now been confirmed to have contracted the virus.
The young ones were also tested and found to be negative, but they remain in self-quarantine.
In the video below, SABC’s Chriselda Lewis gives a summary of unfolding events:
