Eight people most of them schoolchildren have been quarantined at Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital and Elangeni Training Centre in Bulawayo.
This follows mass testing and contact tracing that followed the detection of COVID-19 cases at Mzilikazi Primary School and Mzilikazi High School.
Chronicle reported on Saturday that there had been no new coronavirus positive cases at Mzilikazi Primary School but as more results trickled in, some positive cases have since been recorded.
Bulawayo Health Director Dr. Edwin Sibanda said although they are yet to ascertain the exact number of cases since the laboratory which is dealing with the samples is overwhelmed, they have recorded a total of 38 cases, eight being staff members and the rest pupils. He said:
The first case which was recorded at the school was a worker who tested positive on March 27 and as of yesterday, 1 930 pupils, 55 teachers, and 13 student teachers had been tested, meaning 97,9 percent of the learners were tested.
… From Mzilikazi high school, we collected 30 samples in contact tracing, and unfortunately, results are still pending.
We have taken eight in isolation either at Thorngrove Hospital and Elangeni Training Centre.
Dr. Sibanda said they want all the teachers and other staff to be vaccinated because adults are more vulnerable to the coronavirus compared to pupils.