The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube , Online News Editor
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has dismissed reports of an alleged Covid-19 outbreak at Nashville High School in Gweru.
Social media has been awash with an audio and a picture of pupils appearing to be sick and lying on the ground, with allegations there was a Covid-19 outbreak at the school. Investigations by Ministry of Health and Child Care officials have since revealed that audio and picture were stage managed by pupils who were protesting the postponement of the exeat weekend which was scheduled for Friday.
The hoax has further been exposed with 192 learners already having tested negative after rapid tests were carried out. Gweru district Covid-19 taskforce chairperson, Mr Joram Chimedza was quoted as saying some learners posted the material on social media so as to trigger the response.
“The pictures were actually sent by some learners who were not happy after they were denied an exeat weekend. They meant to cause alarm,” said Mr Chimedza.
In a statement the Ministry of Health and Child Care reveals that a total of 192 boarders had been tested for the pandemic with all returning negative results.
“Investigations conducted at the school by the Provincial Covid-19 Rapid Response Team have indicated that there are 16 cases of mild flu among the school children who are all boarders. A total 192 boarders have been tested for Covid-19 using the rapid diagnostic test kits (RDTs) and all are negative.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has followed up by phone three parents who had taken their children home during the week. None of the parents has reported any of the children as COVID-19 positive,” reads the statement.
The Ministry further called on parents to remain calm and not be misled by the unscrupulous social media reports.
