By Bongiwe Dlamini | 2020-12-08

Over 50 female pupils of Vulamasango School are said to have been placed in isolation after testing positive to COVID-19 about two weeks ago.

These pupils were discovered to be positive for coronavirus during a mass testing exercise that was done following confirmation that a correctional officer had tested positive for the virus.

According to sources close to the matter, the pupils are likely to have contracted the virus from a teacher who was a contact for the officer who had tested positive on Tuesday November 24, where the Manzini region recorded 55 cases.

As soon as more officers and educators started showing flu-like symptoms that mimic those of the coronavirus, it is said mass testing took place.

By last Thursday, the total number of positive female pupils was said to be at 53. These are thosewho reside at Mawelawela Correctional Facility.

Worth noting is that these statistics were only for the female pupils. Therefore, if there were any male pupils who were also COVID-19 positive, the numbers could escalate. Also, the fact that the test results return at different intervals makes it possible that this figure got increased over the past weekend.

When sought for comment, the Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi confirmed that there was such a hike about two weeks ago, but did not have full details at the time she was contacted.

However, she reckoned that the Commissioner General Phindile Dlamini had all the information around the matter.

However, when Dlamini was contacted, she said she was still to consult with the ministry of health before the Correctional Services Public Relations Officer Gugulethu Dlamini could answer questions on the matter.  When the PRO was contacted later in the evening, she declined to comment saying it was only the ministry of health that can release information on the subject.

She declined to even state how they have dealt with the situation now at Vulamasango or even give a broader picture on how they deal with such developments as they deal with inmates.

The ComGen LaMakhosini had indicated that the PRO was the right person to share that information when contacted last night.

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