Paralakhemundi: As many as 26 teachers and two students from different schools of Gajapati district have tested positive for COVID-19, a district administration official Saturday said.
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This incident prompted the district administration to send a senior official in the afternoon to take stock of the situation. The development came a day after reopening of schools for Standard X and XII students which were closed owing to COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
The development has triggered panic in Gajapati district.
The district administration, meanwhile, urged everyone not to panic as their samples were tested before the reopening of schools Friday.
“There are 26 teachers and two students among the 31 persons who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Gajapati district in the last two days,” Gajapati chief district medical officer (CDMO) PK Patra said.
Mohana block in Gajapati district has registered maximum 21 positive cases in the first two days of school reopening. They all are teachers from different schools. The infected persons include students who are asymptomatic. They have been barred from attending classes.
As per the standard operating procedure (SOP) as decided by the state government, the teachers and students will remain in home quarantine. They will be allowed to attend classes only after recovery from COVID-19 infection, the CDMO added.
Notably, the students of Class X and XII are to be given 100 days of classroom teaching before appearing the annual examinations.
PNN