Dear students and colleagues
Because of the high rates of community infection of COVID-19, more of us in the University of Cape Town (UCT) community now know someone who has tested positive. It is more important than ever that we each continue to do our part to protect each other – especially people who are more vulnerable to the disease. We recognise that many members of the UCT community are dealing with anxieties, pain and illness and some are grieving for loved ones who have succumbed to COVID-19. This is an extraordinary and painful time for many and I wish you strength as we go through the next months.
Before the lockdown took effect in March, UCT began issuing regular updates on our institutional responses to COVID-19. By May, we had reported that eight staff members and students had tested positive for the virus; these have all recovered fully. However, these reports did not include students in the Faculty of Health Sciences, or staff in that faculty who are joint staff members in the Provincial Department of Health (PDoH) or the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS).
In light of the rising infection rate, I am writing to explain how we will report new cases at UCT. We do not normally report on the health condition of UCT community members. However, we chose to do so with the COVID-19 cases for the following reasons:
To exercise leadership in how we respond to COVID-19, we all must provide responsible, accurate reporting and work together to manage the impact of the pandemic with compassion and care.
Anybody can contract COVID-19. Many who caught it have recovered fully. This is a time to show empathy and support to each other, because so many of us are affected by anxiety and physical stress. While physical distancing is necessary, we can show kindness in how we talk and treat each other, and through messages of support via phone, email or online messaging.
If someone is self-isolating to prevent the spread of the virus, please respect their right to confidentiality about their health status, without making assumptions about them. Most important is that we do not stigmatise each other or allow others to do so. We all need care, encouragement and time to rest and heal. Please remember the UCT services available to support your physical and mental well-being.
Since our last report on COVID-19 cases in May, there have been some delays and complexities in reporting new cases. We learned of additional cases involving UCT Health Sciences staff members and students working with the PDoH or the NHLS. These infections were reported officially to the relevant government offices, but not to UCT. Each of these cases were notified and contact tracing teams followed government protocol to identify and manage their contacts. Going forward, all cases involving jointly appointed staff and students will continue to be reported in this manner to the PDoH and NHLS, and not via UCT’s channels.
We have decided that cases of COVID-19 infection among Health Sciences staff and students performing health system work need to be reported separately from cases involving the rest of the UCT community, because UCT members in the health system group are at far higher risk of infection.
As a result, here are the new COVID-19 cases since we last reported on 14 May 2020:
UCT will update these figures on a regular basis.
As we plan for the phased reopening of the university, we all need to take collective responsibility for our safety as a community, by following safety and hygiene procedures. You must follow these practices if you are invited to return to campus. The Return to UCT Policy Framework, which will be released soon to the broader UCT community, provides containment strategies to minimise the risk of spreading the virus.
Please stay safe and strong.
With kind regards
Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng
Vice-Chancellor
Read previous communications:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Please view the republishing articles page for more information.
COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March 2020 and to implement a national lockdown from 26 March 2020.
UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated regularly with the latest COVID-19 information. Please note that the information on this page is subject to change depending on current lockdown regulations.
At midnight on 26 March 2020, South African went into the first nationwide hard lockdown. A year later, we remember those who have died and those who have been affected by COVID-19, as well as the pandemic’s effects across society and campus. We are especially grateful for the front-line health workers who have done so much for so many.
In an email to the UCT community, Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng said:
“COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, is a rapidly changing epidemic. [...] Information [...] will be updated as and when new information becomes available.”
We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will be updating the UCT community regularly – as and when there are further updates. If you are concerned or need more information, students can contact the Student Wellness Service on 021 650 5620 or 021 650 1271 (after hours), while staff can contact 021 650 5685.