Over 400 isolated as Covid cases shoot up in schools

Several schools across the country are experiencing a rise in Covid-19 positive cases among students, three weeks after full reopening.

According to the surveillance report compiled by the ministries of Health and that of Education, the positive cases among students have increased to seven from three cases that were reported last week.

The surveillance report further indicates that a total of 56 students have symptoms of Covid-19 while 432 students have been referred for isolation.

The commissioner in the Department of Reproductive and Child Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr Jessica Nsungwa, yesterday told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview that the Omicron variant has mild signs and all affected students are being managed at their respective schools.

She said the ministry only comes in when the learners require evacuation to isolation centres.

“We have introduced a policy in schools where all learners who test positive are isolated in the school’s sickbay. All schools have also been connected to nearby health centres where learners with severe signs can be transferred,” Dr Nsungwa said.

Meanwhile, the number of students with Covid-19 like symptoms has reduced from about 5,000 cases that the ministry reported to 56.

This is attributed to the reduction in the number of schools that are reporting on the status of Covid-19.
According to the data that was released last Tuesday, a total of 768 schools submitted their data to the surveillance team.

However, the data released this week indicates that only 47 schools reported the cases.
“The ministry of Education should ensure that all schools across the country submit their data on a daily basis. Parents should know what is happening with their children in schools,”Dr Nsungwa said.

The ministries of Education and Health developed an off-line surveillance system where all schools are to submit a report on the wellbeing of their students on a daily basis.

Schools are supposed to screen their students every morning and report those with symptoms.
The spokesperson of the ministry of Education, Mr Denis Mugimba, said they were yet to receive a detailed report from the district authorities pertaining to all challenges and benefits from reopening.

He said they asked the district education officers to compile information on learners and students who will return after the lockdown and all those with Covid-19 signs and symptoms.

He said schools were also asked to compile the number of learners who got pregnant during the lockdown.