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George Maponga in Masvingo

The number of students at Bondolfi Teachers’ College infected with Covid-19 has shot up to 94 after more tests were conducted following a localised outbreak of the novel virus at the institution.

Initially 18 students tested positive for Covid-19 following tests conducted on Africa Day with the figure swelling to 94 after all the 303 students resident at the college were scanned for the virus.

Those infected have since started self-isolating at the institution while the rest of the students are undergoing mandatory quarantining at the same place.

Most of those positive students were reportedly asymptomatic showing mild symptoms according to Masvingo Covid-19 provincial taskforce spokesperson Mr Rodgers Irimai.

The provincial medical director Dr Amadeous Shamu revealed that all the students at Bondolfi had been tested for Covid-19 describing the situation at the institution as a localised outbreak.

Dr Shamu said no students would be allowed to leave the institution during mandatory quarantining while no new arrivals would be permitted.

He said health officials are currently scrambling to test teaching and non teaching staff at the teachers’ college as efforts to contain the disease intensify.

He allayed the situation could spiral out of control saying it was a manageable localised outbreak.

Masvingo now has 96 Covid-19 positive cases comprising Bondolfi students and two other people who are infected with the virus.