The government has declared Bondolfi College a Covid-19 hotspot after 94 cases of the deadly virus were reported recently.
Initially 18 students tested positive to Covid-19 on Africa Day but the figure has since swelled to 94 after all the 303 students resident at the college were scanned for the virus.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said most students on campus were declared as potential contacts due to the learning environment of mixing and shifting classes.
“Following a report of a COVID-19 positive case on 21/05/21 of a college student, investigations revealed that most students on campus were declared as potential contacts due to the learning environment of mixing and shifting classes. The index case had moderate symptoms and was admitted at Rujeko isolation facility in Masvingo City for observation and symptomatic treatment,”
The ministry highlighted that the index case had no history of travel outside college campus since schools opened and had no visitors.
“The patient is doing well today. Two very close contacts of the index case were tested on 23/05/21 and one came out positive while the other was negative.”
Most of the positive students were reportedly asymptomatic with mild symptoms according to Masvingo Covid-19 provincial taskforce spokesperson Rodgers Irimai.
The provincial medical director Dr Amadeous Shamu described the situation at the institution as a localized outbreak.
Dr Shamu said no students would be allowed to leave the institution during mandatory quarantining while no new arrivals would be permitted.
He said health officials are currently scrambling to test teaching and non teaching staff at the teachers’ college as efforts to contain the disease intensify.
