22 students, two teachers test Covid-19 positive after Bihar schools reopen

At least 22 students, two teachers and a peon were found to be Covid-19 positive when 75 persons were randomly tested for coronavirus in Bihar’s Munger district. The Health Department has sounded an alert and ordered closure of the school, while asking the authorities to conduct more such tests among the children as well as teachers. The district administration has issued orders for contact tracing too.

Notably, schools in Bihar were reopened on January 4 after more than nine months of closure following Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020.

The students from Class IX to XII have been allowed to attend their classes in schools, colleges and coaching institutions with only 50 per cent of the total strength. Most of the schools have applied odd-even rule to make the students attend their classes on alternate days.

Read | Lockdown: Nearly 70% of Indian parents want schools to reopen only in April, ratio doubles in 3 months, claims survey

However, the disturbing news of mass spread of coronavirus came from Munger where students of Lal Bahadur Shastri Kisan High School were asked on Thursday to undergo rapid antigen test (RAT).

When the reports came in that 22 students and two teachers have tested positive, the District Magistrate Rachna Patil asked the Health Department mandarins to home-isolate these children.

“Besides, she issued orders that the area be declared containment zone and contact tracing work should be done at the earliest. The school has been closed for now,” informed a senior official.

“We will trace all those who have come into contact with these children and ask them to get themselves tested. Those found positive will be kept at the JNM Isolation ward. While those children, who prefer home isolation, will be allowed to do so after they submit a written request in this regard,” said the Civil Surgeon, Dr AK Bharti.

Meanwhile, the Nitish regime has decided that more random tests would be conducted in other schools of Bihar after a Principal in Gaya school too was found to be Covid-19 positive.