Coronavirus scare: Govt announces closure of schools in six districts
Kashmir Vision News
Srinagar: As two cases of Coronavirus are reported to have been detected in Jammu region, the administration Saturday announced closure of primary level schools in six districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Khan said that the class work in all private and government schools upto primary level have been ordered to be closed immediately in four districts including Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla and Bandipora till further orders.
The step has been taken as a precautionary measure, Khan said.
Earlier, the authorities ordered the closure of primary schools in Jammu and Samba districts and also suspended the biometric attendance in view of the reports about two patients suggesting high probability of testing positive for COVID-19.
“Test reports of the two suspected patients from Jammu have been received. Both are high viral load cases. There is high probability of testing positive,” Principal Secretary, Planning and Monitoring and Information Rohit Kansal, announced.
Kansal, who is also the government spokesman, said that schools have been closed as a part of precautionary measure as all protocols are being followed by the administration.
“The test reports of the two suspected coronavirus patients were received, which spoke of them being high viral-load cases. There is a high probability of their testing positive for the infection,” the spokesperson said.
He added that both the patients were kept in isolation at the Government Medical College, Jammu.
“They are stable and all protocols are being followed,” the spokesperson said.
The two patients with a travel history to coronavirus-hit Italy and South Korea had fled the hospital’s isolation ward on Wednesday shortly after their admission, but were brought back within hours. Their samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.
The government appealed to the public to fully cooperate wherever quarantine was advised.
The administration also announced the closure of all primary schools in Jammu and Samba districts till March 31, an official spokesperson said.
“All primary schools in Jammu and Samba districts will be closed till March 31 with immediate effect,” the spokesperson said.
The final examinations are underway in most of the schools in the region. Officials said the exams were likely to be rescheduled after the opening of the schools.
The government also announced an immediate suspension of all biometric attendance in the Union territory till March 31, the spokesperson said, while advising people not to panic as adequate measures were put in place to meet the challenge.
Jammu and Kashmir has been put on alert to deal with any threat emerging from COVID-19 as around 200 people with a travel history to coronavirus-affected countries or who had contacts with people from such countries have been identified.
Nearly two dozen suspected cases have been tested in the Union territory till date but no positive case has been reported so far.
According to administration, 230 people who had travel history to countries where there is high prevalence of COVID-19. Many test reports have been taken and none of them tested positive in Kashmir so far. Five people been kept in isolation at SKIMS Soura.
The government has said it was in the state of alertness to deal with any threat emerging due to coronavirus. On Wednesday the government announced the COVID-19 control efforts and as part of it, the administration made Bhupinder Kumar (IAS), Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), as Overall Incharge of the coronovirus control efforts at the Union Territory Level.
Kumar has been asked to work under the supervision of Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education Department, J&K.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara has urged all schools in the north Kashmir district to suspend morning assemblies in wake of growing concerns about Coronovirus.
“Morning assembly shall remain suspended in all schools of Kupwara district till March 31,” DC Kupwara Anshul Garg said.
Meanwhile, higher authorities have asked respective deputy commissioners to order suspension of assemblies in schools in wake of the novel virus threat. (with inputs from PTI)
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