As more students test Covid positive in Delhi, govt asks schools to close certain wings

The number of school students testing positive rose on Friday which raised concerns among parents with the Delhi government telling school authorities to close specific wings or classrooms if required.

Schools in Delhi have a four-day holiday in view of Ambedkar Jayanti, Good Friday followed by the weekend. Two top private schools confirmed that they have received information from parents about their wards testing positive.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said a specific wing or classroom where a COVID-19 case has been detected should be closed temporarily and clarified that the entire school should only be closed in specific circumstances.

A meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has been called on April 20 to take a view of the situation in the national capital.

At least five students and staff members of a top private school in Vasant Kunj have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, triggering concerns among parents about the safety of their wards and a possible closure of schools again.

Reports of infections from schools have triggered concerns weeks after they opened for completely offline classes following a two-year gap due to the pandemic. The fresh infections in the private schools in the national capital have been reported close on the heels of schools in adjoining Noida and Ghaziabad reporting new cases of the disease.

"We haven't asked them to close schools. Our guidelines say that only a specific wing or classroom where someone was found Covid positive should be temporarily closed," Sisodia said in response to a question during a press conference.

"Schools can take a decision to close the entire premises in specific cases where an infected child or staff has been through multiple areas of the school. We have made it decentralized," he said.

The Directorate of Education (DoE) issued a fresh advisory for schools in the national capital on April 13, directing them to close the entire premises or specific wings temporarily if any student or staff tests positive for COVID-19. The department also said students and staff must wear masks and maintain social distancing.

Delhi reported 325 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, while the positivity rate stood at 2.39 per cent, according to data shared by the city's health department. Reports of infections from schools have sparked concerns, weeks after they opened for completely offline classes following a two-year gap due to the pandemic.