Raiganj school closes after 3 pupils test positive for Covid

SNS, RAIGANJ, 29 DECEMBER 21 : Three class-IX students of an English medium school at Sudarsanpur in Raiganj in North Dinajpur district have allegedly tested positive for Covid-19, prompting the school authorities to suspend offline classes for a week, officials said.

It is learnt that officials and health workers from the district health office visited the school yesterday afternoon and collected samples from of her students, teachers and non-teaching staff for Covid tests.

While it is learnt that the classrooms and other premises of the school have been thoroughly sanitized, other students and teachers of the school are panic-stricken as they fear spread of the virus.

"A girl of class IX of our school who is a resident of Bogram in Raiganj, complained of fever for the past few days. She was tested positive for coronavirus on Monday in tests conducted in the Raiganj Medical College. We were informed yesterday that her report was positive. The student was sent home immediately," the vice principal of the school, Rajbah Paul, said.

"Health officials then visited our school and collected samples from all students who had been attending classes, teachers and non-teaching staff of the school. We suspended our offline classes from today for the next one week. However, the students will be taught through the online mode," he added. According to Mr Paul, they will resume classes after con sultations with health and district administration officials.

The Chief Medical Officer of Health of North Dinajpur, Dr Puran Kumar Sharma, said three students of the school had tested positive. "We have asked the school authorities to see to it that all the students who attended offline classes are kept in home quarantine for a certain period of time. The classrooms and other areas in the school were properly sanitized too," Dr Sharma said.

Offline classes for students from class 10 and above across the state resumed early November this year, following online classes for almost two years since the first wave of coronavirus hit the region in March last year.