31 teachers, students test positive after school reopens for class 10, 12

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PURI: As many as 31 teachers and students tested positive for coronavirus infection in Gajapati district of Odisha after reopening of schools, Chief District Medical Officer Pradeep Kumar Patra said. Schools reopened for students of Class 10 and 12 in Odisha on January 8 after remaining closed for over 9 months due to the COVID pandemic. IANS quoted Patra as saying that 26 teachers tested COVID-19 positive in the district in the last two days. Schools in Mohana block has reported the maximum number of cases at 21, he said.

"The infected persons, including the students, are asymptomatic. As per the standard operating procedures, the teachers and students will remain in home quarantine. They would not go to school till they recover from the disease," he added.

The Gajapati district administration had carried out COVID test of teachers and other employees of schools before the reopening of the educational institutions.