In wake of rising COVID-19 Omicron cases, Maharashtra school education minister Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad said that if the cases continue to increase, a decision to shut down schools may have to be taken again.
"If Omicron cases continue to rise, we may take a call to shut the schools again. We are monitoring the situation School Education minister Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad."
Earlier the state government had announced to reopen the schools from December 1 till a later date, however, Mumbai and Pune decided to postpone the reopening of schools in wake of the Omicron threat.
In Mumbai, schools reopened on December 15 while in Pune on December 16.
Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 825 new coronavirus cases including 11 Omicron variant infections besides 14 deaths, the health department said.
The overall case tally rose to 66,50,965 and death toll due to the pandemic reached 1,41,367.
On Monday, the state had reported 544 new coronavirus infections but no Omicron case, and four fatalities, lowest since April 1, 2020.
(With agency inputs)
