Staff Reporter
Another learner in the Free State has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the school to close for decontamination.
New Horizon College, a private school in Harrismith, announced in a letter sent out to parents Sunday that a female student had tested positive for the coronavirus that causes the deadly respiratory disease that is ravaging the world.
Neither her grade nor age was revealed.
“We regret to inform you that our first COVID-19 case has been reported,” the college management said in the letter.
According to the communique, the learner, who comes from Heildelberg in Gauteng, had reported for school for the first time last Wednesday.
She reportedly did not present with any symptoms and had a normal temperature reading when she went through the screening process on arrival.
“She felt ill on Thursday morning and had a temperature, resulting in her visiting Dr Du Preez,” the management said.
“She was seen by Dr Du Preez in Harrismith, and he confirmed this (Sunday) morning that she had tested positive for corona.”
This has forced the school to close its Harrismith campus for decontamination, with classes only expected to resume on Wednesday.
“Resulting from this, the management of New Horizon College (Harrismisth) decided to keep our campus closed for Monday 15 June (for all grades) for the purpose of deep cleaning,” the management said.
“School will thus reopen on Wednesday morning . . .”
New Horizon College said its campus in Bethlehem had not been affected and would thus continue operations uninterrupted.
Last week, Grey College reported that a Grade 12 learner at the Bloemfontein school had tested positive for COVID-19.
At Heatherdale Secondary School, also in the provincial capital, 15 learners had to be rushed to hospital for testing after they presented with flu-like symptoms during a routine screening exercise.
They were then put under the care of their families for isolation while they waited for their results.
Grades 7 and 12 resumed lessons for the first time last Monday since the forced closure of schools on March 17 as South Africa prepared to go on national lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.