Over 50 students tested positive for COVID-19 at a school in the northern Indian state of Haryana’s Karnal district, officials said on Tuesday.
Three students tested positive on Monday before an additional 54 more were found later by contact-tracing.
“Today 54 students of a school hostel have tested positive for COVID-19 in Karnal,” an official said.
“Medical teams have been rushed to the spot and the area has been marked as a containment zone,” the officials stated.
Authorities have sealed the hostel building of the school where the students were staying.
The local government in Haryana had allowed students from classes nine to 12 to return to school in December 2020 and classes were reopened for students of standard three and five on Feb. 24.
The government also decided to start regular schooling for classes one and two from next week.
The school authorities have asked parents to submit a consent letter to the school head before sending their children to schools and those who want their children to continue classes online can stay at home.
Schools have been asked to follow all COVID-19 related guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
In February, a government order said it would divide every school into three wings.
As per the new order, if a student in a wing is found to be COVID-19 positive, that wing will be closed for 10 days and the entire school will be sanitised.
If students in more than one wing are found to be COVID-19 positive, the entire school will be closed for 10 days, the order reads.
India has already begun an inoculation programme for health officials, front line workers, people above 60 years and those above 45 years of age with co-morbidity.
An inoculation programme for children is yet to start.
