Three students at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) tested positive for the coronavirus on May 29 amid plans to reopen tertiary institutions next week.
The development was confirmed by Dr Welcome Mlilo, the provincial medical director for Bulawayo who however said could not reveal the identity of the patients due to patient confidentiality regulations. Mlilo said:
I can confirm that we had three positive tests on May 29, but I’m bound by patient confidentiality not to discuss their locations and other specifics that can lead to their identification. We have had cases where patients have been identified leading to some unsavoury public lynching, and that’s not helpful.
Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Professor Amon Murwira said he had not been briefed about the three cases, but insisted that universities would still re-open as scheduled as the said cases are no longer a threat to other students since they are now in isolation.
Tertiary institutions were slated to reopen next week in phases starting next week and NUST is scheduled to re-open on June 8 for final year students from the faculties of Applied Science; Commerce; Engineering and The Built Environment.
Meanwhile, teachers are resisting government plans to re-open schools later this month, starting with final year classes in Grade 7, Form 4 and Upper Sixth.
More: Kukurigo