At least 262 students and 160 teachers tested positive for COVID-19 in the past three days in Andhra Pradesh after schools reopened in the state on 2 November for Class 9 and Class 10 students.
According to V Chinna Veerabhadrudu, Commissioner of School Education, stated that the figure is not alarming when compared to the total number of students attending school.
"Yesterday around four lakh students attended schools. There were 262 positive cases. It is not even 0.1 percent. It is not correct to say that they were affected due to their attendance to schools. We ensure that each school room has only 15 or 16 students," reported PTI, quoting an official.
According to data provided by the state education department, 9.75 lakh Class 9, Class 10 students registered for classes out of which 3.93 lakh attended the classes. Out of 1.1 lakh teachers in the state, 99,000 teachers attended school.
With the fresh cases, the state's COVID tally jumped to 8,42,967, while the death toll climbed to 6,791. The state's tests per million ratio has now gone up to 1,62,247, highest among a list of nine major states. The positivity rate stands at 9.73 percent.
All government schools in the state opened from 2 November after a hiatus of five months owing to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, schools were reopened partially, functioning only during forenoon in entire November and releasing students everyday after their mid-day meal.
(with inputs from IANS)
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