By A Correspondent- The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic in Gwanda and Kwekwe Polytechnic colleges have indefinitely suspended face-to-face lectures after some students tested positive for coronavirus at the institutions.

Chronicle reports that by Wednesday, six cases had been recorded in Gwanda and four in Kwekwe prompting the colleges to advise students not to attend lectures until further notice.

JMN Poly Principal Dr Ngoni Moyo confirmed the development adding that the institution would await clearance from the Provincial Covid-19 Committee to resume lessons.

She said:

We have suspended lectures until further notice to give room to testing and screening following cases of Covid-19 recorded at the institution.

The Provincial Covid Committee is yet to give us the green light on when to resume lessons. The committee is yet to give us feedback on the total number of positive cases.

As an institution we have done our own fumigation exercise but we are waiting for the Ministry of Health (and Child Care) to conduct their own.

While face to face lectures are suspended, we will be conducting online lessons. Heads of various divisions have been instructed to come up with plans for their academic work.

Meanwhile, Kwekwe District Administrator, who is also the District Committee on Covid-19 chairperson, Mr Fortune Mpungu told a meeting on Wednesday that lectures had been suspended pending after four confirmed cases at Kwekwe Poly.

This comes amid fears of a second wave of the virus in the country. Zimbabwe, as of 12 November 2020, had a total of 8696 known coronavirus cases since the first case was recorded in March.

-statemedia