Cape Town - The University of Cape Town confirms that a staff member has tested positive for Covid-19. This is this the second confirmed case of Covid-19 at UCT.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said: "The staff member is now in self isolation for the next two weeks under supervision from the national Department of Health.
"Contact tracing has already begun to identify the people who were in close contact with the staff member and they are all asymptomatic. They are in quarantine at home and are being monitored.
"The dean of the affected faculty has communicated the matter to members of the faculty and the building where the staff member worked has been closed," said Moholola.
Late on Sunday evening UCT and the Leadership Lekgotla took a decision to break immediately for Term 1 vacation and to suspend classes.
The Term 1 vacation would have started on Saturday, 21 March 2020, but started on Monday. Term 2 was set to commence on Monday, 30 March 2020, but UCT said it would confirm the beginning of Term 2 after an assessment of prevailing and quickly changing circumstances.
The UCT leadership said it was persuaded of the importance of this step as a precautionary, proactive measure to minimise the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
On Tuesday, Moholola said the university has measures in place to support students requiring assistance with vacating residences within 72 hours from on Monday due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The measures included, ensuring immediate payment of allowances to all students on financial aid, working with external travel agencies on possible travel plans for students, working with the Home Affairs in cases involving international students, and making provision for the safe storage of students’ belongings.