Poonch on alert after 35 students test COVID positive; contact tracing underway [details]

The Health authorities sounded a high alert in Jammu and Kashmir's border district of Poonch after 35 students and the Principal of a higher secondary school were tested COVID during testing on Tuesday.

Earlier seven students of another higher secondary school, situated on the Line of Control (LoC) were tested positive on Monday.

During testing, 35 students and the Principal of Government Girls Higher Secondary School Loran Mandi Poonch were tested COVID positive. However, the Principal during the second test was tested negative but health authorities asked her to go for home isolation.

On Monday, seven students of Government Higher Secondary School Lassana were tested COVID positive.

"Both the schools have been closed for next five days", Chief Education Officer Poonch, Abdul Majid told International Business Times. He said that schools are functioning with 50 percent attendance. 

Health authorities sound alert in Poonch

After students of two schools were tested COVID positive, health authorities sound alert in Poonch to test all contacts of the positive students. "We are on high alert after some students were tested positive", Chief Medical Officer Poonch Dr. Ghulam Mohammad told IBT.

"All the students have been directed to go for home isolation", the CMO said and added that a massive campaign has been started in all schools of Poonch district to ensure 100 sampling of students of this district.

"Teams have already been constituted for the sampling of all contacts of students to check further spread of the virus", the CMO said and revealed that no contact of students so far has been tested positive.

102 fresh positive cases in J&K

Jammu and Kashmir reported 102 fresh Corona-positive cases in the last 24 hours. 29 of these cases were reported from the Jammu division and 73 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall tally to 329991.

Giving district-wise details, the officials said that Srinagar recorded the highest number of 41 cases today.

Moreover, 185 more patients have recovered including 46 from the Jammu division and 139 from Kashmir Valley. So far 324493 patients have recovered, leaving an active case tally at 1074, 247 in Jammu, and 827 in Kashmir.

Schools opened for only 10th, 12th standards

On September 26, authorities had extended the closure of schools barring 10th and 12th standards across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The government in its order has made it clear that classes for 12th and 10th standards shall be permitted with limited in-person teaching not exceeding 50 percent on a given day for vaccinated students and staff.

Schools directed to strictly follow COVID SoPs

While allowing government as well as private institutions to resume classes of 10th and 12th standards, the administration had asked the concerned head of the institutions to ensure that COVID-19 SOPs and guidelines, issued by the authorities, should be followed in letter and spirit.

Schools were functioning only with 50 percent attendance in each class. Heads of educational institutions were already directed to conduct RT-PCR tests of students and faculty members before resuming the classes. It was also advised that "so far as practicable" classes are run in an open area.