Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: With the state government reopening schools in phased manner, COVID-19 infection among students and staff is a matter of concern.
Three city schools, including a government-run one, have reported an outbreak.
According to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), eight students of Khandagiri’s Tapoban High School tested COVID-19 positive last week. The school was closed for two days to disinfect. Following one student testing positive, all staff and students were tested, among which eight students were found positive.
Two other private schools — DAV and St Xavier School also witnessed positive cases on the campus. “Teachers of both private schools tested positive forcing the school authorities to suspend classes. Students were also asked to undergo COVID test,” Odisha Abhibhavak Mahasangh chairman Basudev Bhatt was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.
Meanwhile, the Shakti Junior Residential College at Link Road in Cuttack was ordered to shut down for 20 days after three students tested positive for COVID-19.
Among the three students, one from Cuttack city is symptomatic, while two others from Mahanga are asymptomatic. All three have been sent to their houses for home isolation.
According to City Health Officer Satyabrat Mohapatra, some employees of the college, who had come in contact with the students, have undergone the COVID tests.
However, the parents and guardians of other students, who left the hostel without screening, are in a state of panic and blamed the authorities over the issue. “Due to gross negligence of the college authorities, we are afraid that our children might have come in contact with the infected students. The authorities should have screened all the students before asking them to leave the hostel,” parents said.
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