The Northern Cape Education Department, says the continued closure of schools in this district last week affected some 1200 learners and 282 teachers in the area. Provincial Education Department spokesperson, Lehume Ntuane, tells OFM News the decision to reopen the schools in the province’s epicentre comes on the back of a meeting between the MECs of Education and Health; Collen Jack and Galerekwe Mase Manopole who collectively ascertained that it was safe for schools to reopen.

Ntuane assures the public that school buildings have been decontaminated and deep-cleaned. While teaching and support staff have been given the required “psycho-social support”. Pixley ka Seme has overtaken Francis Baard as the district with the highest number of active and overall COVID-19 positive cases. As it stands, Pixley ka Seme - which includes hotspots Umsombovu and Renosterberg local municipalities - has 47 active cases, while the latter, which includes the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality, has 30 active cases and one recorded death.  

The Provincial Education Department is currently mapping out the phasing in of other grades by 6 July 2020.

Of particular interest is that the latest reported cases of COVID-19 in the district are of three people, all under 20 years old. According to figures released by the provincial health department, the three latest cases in the district are all found in the Umsombovu Local Municipality and include, “a 7-year-old male, 12-year-old female and a 19-year-old female”. The ZF Mgcawu District on the other hand has six new confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The Northern Cape Health Department has thus far tested over 16 000 people for the coronavirus, meaning the province still has a surplus of almost 84 000 swab kits left.  This surplus is continuing to enable the department to intensify their testing efforts going from only testing symptomatic contacts or those with travel history, to now testing all close contacts.  

OFM News