By: Nosipho Haya-Komisa
On a mission to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Fort Hare East London campus, the Eastern Cape Department of Health has officially launched testing and tracing campaign.
This after the recent outbreak of COVID-19 at the institution, where 30 students tested positive for COVID-19.
It is alleged that on the 3rd of October 2020 the students were seen having fun at a tavern in Quigney where there was no adherence to alert Level one regulations, masks were not worn, social distancing not observed, non-washing and non-sanitizing of hands was not practised.
According to a statement issued by the Department of Health, the non-compliance was also evident on the 10th of October 2020 where the “10-10-2020 Bash” was held in Quigney.
Departmental spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo revealed that nursing and law students are the most affected.
“Most of the students who tested positive are from the Nursing Science Faculty and to a lesser degree the Law Faculty,” said Kupelo.
Kupelo said the students that were presumed positive have been isolated at the Alice campus.
“The COVID-19 positive students are quarantined and isolated at the Alice Campus where the University had set aside a residence with 134 rooms,” said Kupelo.
Kupelo added that some of the students who attended the parties admitted that COVID-19 regulations were not adhered to.
“Patrons who were at the tavern were allegedly more than 300 in number, some allegedly had been drinking from one bottle and dancing close to one another,” he said.
He further said they have managed to trace some of the students who went home and the Department of Higher Education has been informed about the matter.
“Two students who tested positive went home, one in Mount Fletcher and the other one to Reeston in East London. Tracing teams in both districts, Buffalo City and Joe Gqabi were able to locate them. Higher Education has been alerted of the developments in Fort Hare University,” said Kupelo.
Kupelo has urged everyone to remain vigilant as the number of infections increases as the levels of lockdown are brought down by the government, and that people seem to think that COVID-19 is no more.