Fear for a nationwide outbreak of the COVID-19 is growing as Midlands’ Anderson High School has been hit by the deadly disease.
Twenty (20) students at the Gweru-based Anderson High School have tested positive for the coronavirus making the school the latest learning institution in Zimbabwe to be affected by the pandemic amid calls by legislators for Government to shut down schools.
The development was revealed by Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavhima who confirmed that results received so far indicated that 20 learners had tested positive for the Covid-19.
“Out of the 53 Covid-19 tests initially conducted at the school, 14 positive results were received with 10 girls and 3 boys,” Mavhima said.
However, the number as of today (Friday) has risen to 20 with 14 girls and 6 boys.
Anderson School has a total enrolment of 394. The Seventh-day Adventist Church founded the school in 1950.
Of these, 226 are girls while there are 198 boys. The school has a complement of 32 teachers and 45 support staff members.
Mavhima said immediate action taken by the school includes separation of affected students from the rest, disinfection of all cubicles (dormitories) in the school, isolation of all positive and symptomatic cases as well as quarantining of negative cases.
The school has also directed day scholars to quarantine at home from Thursday after screening while further restricting movement in and out.
A request for comment by Zimbabwe Voice to the school headmaster, Mr. Billy Caxton Mukasvanga, drew blanks as he referred queries back to the provincial Covid-19 taskforce headed by Mavima.
The outbreak of the disease at the Gweru school follows similar cases in which hundreds of learners have tested positive in schools in Masvingo, Matabeleland as well as Mashonaland West.
Other schools, John Tallach and Matobo High Schools, both in Matebeleland, have since been sealed off after positive cases were recorded at the institutions.
Health Minister Constantino Chiwenga indicated last week that Harare-based Prince Edward High School also recorded positive cases.
Still, the government maintains that it will not be closing schools.
Credit: Zimbabwe Voice