UCT confirms fourth case of COVID-19

Dear colleagues and students

I am writing to inform you that we have confirmed a fourth positive case of COVID-19 at the University of Cape Town (UCT). It is a postgraduate student.

We previously confirmed three other cases, and this brings the total now to four.

In all cases the Provincial Department of Health confirmed the cases through the prescribed protocol.

The three colleagues and the postgraduate student are in quarantine. The Department of Health has also immediately begun contact tracing in the respective cases and those identified as close contacts have been informed and asked to quarantine themselves for two weeks.

Please note we are committed to maintain confidentiality in relation to the medical conditions of staff and students. This includes the information in relation to testing for whatever infectious or non-infectious diseases a person may have and is an important ethical imperative. Breaking that confidentiality is not acceptable and for healthcare professionals (who include health scientists) is against all moral codes. Naming people in e-mails or over social media platforms, or releasing information about them that could identify them, must be avoided.

Please visit UCT’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 feature page on the UCT News website, which has all the relevant information in relation to UCT’s response to the pandemic.

Sincerely

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng
Vice-Chancellor

Updates will be posted on UCT’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 feature page on the UCT News website.

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements