Cape Town – Western Cape universities have
reported a total of five Covid-19 confirmed infections, following UCT’s
announcement at the weekend that
a third staff member tested positive.
The institution’s vice-chancellor, Mamokgethi Phakeng, confirmed their latest case on Saturday.
Last week, Stellenbosch University and UWC reported their first cases. All of the infected individuals are in quarantine and none are students.
Tertiary institutions were told by Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Dr Blade Nzimande to close on Wednesday until April 15. Residences where students are still living have introduced precautions and preventive measures after hundreds started to vacate residences last week.
“The first case was a UCT-employed staff member. The second (not connected to the first) was a UCT-based visiting researcher associated with a department at UCT.
"The third case is a UCT-employed project manager who worked in the same department as the second case. In all three instances the provincial department of health confirmed the cases through the prescribed protocol,” said Phakeng.
She emphasised that the university continued to monitor each of the reported cases and wished the patients a speedy recovery.
“The department of health has also immediately begun contact tracing in the respective cases, and those identified as close contacts have been informed and asked to quarantine themselves.
“We continue to monitor each case and we wish all three colleagues the best in what is a difficult time. We sincerely trust that they will return to their full health,” Phakeng said.
She assured students and staff that the institution remained committed to maintain confidentiality about the medical condition of those affected.
“This includes the information in relation to testing for whatever infectious or non-infectious diseases a person might have and is an important ethical imperative.
“Naming people in emails or over social media platforms or releasing information about them that could identify them must be avoided,” she said.
Phakeng advised students and staff to check the coronavirus feature page for updates via: https://www.news.uct.ac.za/campus/communications/updates/covid-19/
Stellenbosch University and UWC have not reported further cases.
CPUT has yet to record a staff or student testing positive for Covid-19.