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34 contacts of 6 pupils and 2 teachers tested positive for Covid-19 at St John's traced

34 contacts of St John's College pupils have tested positive for Covid-19.
34 contacts of St John's College pupils have tested positive for Covid-19.
Image: 123RF/ perig76

The Gauteng department of health has traced 34 people who were in contact with pupils from St John’s College in Johannesburg. This comes after five pupils in grades 11 and 12 and another pupil had tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

Provincial health spokesperson Kwara Kekana said the department commenced with contact tracing immediately after it was made aware of the cluster outbreak.

“The six pupils and two teachers who have tested positive for Covid-19 and 34 potential close contacts are being quarantined and monitored,” Kekana said.

She said the department was dealing with the matter by assisting with contact tracing, and screening and testing activities which were taking place at the school.

“There are also health promotion and rick communication activities on the Covid-19 virus that are simultaneously taking place at the school as well,” she said.

There were earlier reports that the pupils who tested positive for Covid-19 participated in a rugby festival at the school. However, the school refuted the allegations.

The school’s executive headmaster Stuart West said the cases were in no way related to a rugby festival.

“No inter-school games have happened to date, our first derby fixture was scheduled to take place on Saturday against St Alban's College. This traditional derby was been cancelled along with all sporting fixtures across all codes and age groups until Monday. We have sent our grade 11,12 and sixth form students into quarantine until Monday. They have already started their online classes,” West said.

He said the provincial departments of education and health together with the Johannesburg Covid-19  command council visited St John's on Friday morning to audit the situation.

“Our Covid-19 management team was applauded for the swift and decisive handling of the situation, and for the comprehensive protocols and procedures activated to ensure the containment of any further transmissions. We will continue to support those affected and their families, and wish our boys a speedy recovery,” West said.

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