Free State School Closes After 32 Students Test Positive for Covid 19

Monday, May 10, 2021 at 8:36 AM by Thando Mpembe

- Reutlwahetse High School in the Free State has been closed down due to an increase in Covid-19 cases

- The Department of Education closed down the school to try and curb the spread of the virus in the school

- Currently, there are 1 778 new cases reported of Covid-19 in South Africa and 11 new deaths

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A high school in Free State has been closed because 32 learners have tested positive Covid-19. Scholars from the Reutlwahetse High School in Excelsior were sent home a few days after returning from their Easter holidays.

The pupils returned to school and reported having flu-like symptoms. They were tested for Covid-19 and the results came back positive, according to a report by TimesLIVE.

Free state school closes after 32 students test positive for Covid 19 — Reautlwahetse High School in the Free State has been closed due to Covid-19. Image: Simon MAINA / AFP
Source: Getty Images

After the results came back positive, the school was ordered to close its doors by the Department of Education. The school is still closed and more learners are undergoing Covid-19 testing.

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Education Department spokesperson Howard Ndaba is concerned about the new infections at the Free State school.

“We are equally concerned about the rising cases of Covid-19 especially in the most affected area, which is Mantsopa Municipality, in Ladybrand and in Excelsior," said Howard to SABC News.

Ndaba said that an increase in Covid-19 cases usually takes place after long weekends. There are currently 1 778 new cases that have been reported in the last 24 hours. Eleven people have died and there are 25 604 active cases in South Africa.

In other Covid-19 news, Briefly News reported that SA is on high alert due to new Covid-19 variants and MAC members are fearful.

South Africans might've thought that the Covid-19 situation had subsided a bit due to fewer cases being reported but now the nation is on high alert once again. The Covid-19 Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) is concerned about the variant of the virus found in India.