The Ministry of Health and Child Care has with immediate effect closed Chinhoyi High School to non-examination day scholars, while Covid-19 positive and negative candidates will write examinations in separate rooms after 57 students tested positive on Monday.
While the school has been cordoned off to outside learners, examination candidates will be allowed to enter the school’s premises but under strict and rigorous monitoring from health officials.
At least 57 out of the 74 students tested positive after a 17-year-old female student had earlier tested positive for the disease.
It was not clear by this afternoon whether teachers who were tested together with the students had contracted the virus.
The female student was taken to Mzari Clinic fir isolation where seven Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) students who recently tested positive are while the 57 students who are asymptotic are being isolated at the school.
Mashonaland West acting provincial medical director Dr Gift Masoja confirmed the decision and said the recommendation was arrived at after an interministerial meeting was held at the school yesterday to determine the way forward.
“We resolved to cut the school from day scholars although examination candidates will be allowed. This however means, we will have to intensify our response. More nurses and environmental health officials will be stationed at the school to effect response and monitoring,” he said.
