Education and health department officials continue to remain worried regarding the sudden increase in the number of Covid-19 clusters in various parts of Karnataka, especially at schools and colleges. Primary and Secondary education minister B C Nagesh said that the state is ready to shut down schools and colleges be the cases continue to increase.

The minister said that the safety of kids is of prime importance. “Our top priority would be well being of the kids. If the situation turns worse, we are ready to shut down schools,” the minister clarified.

The minister further clarified that the department is considering alternative modes of learning in emergency situations. “As of now there is no such fear and even parents need not panic. In fact, during examinations, we adopt stringent Covid protocols as it is known that we allow only one student per desk.” 

The minister also said that he would personally visit a few of the schools and has sought a report already. “We are even thinking of issuing a separate advisory to residential schools,” he revealed.

In the meantime, the number of infected kids has shot up to 107 at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya cluster in Koppa taluk of Chikkamagalur. Out of the 38 confirmed Covid positive cases, there are 35 students and three staffers of the school. 

“We had conducted tests on 457 people in the JNV here, of which 59 students and 10 staff members tested positive for coronavirus. They are asymptomatic but we have isolated them,” district health officer Dr SN Umesh told PTI. The officer further added that the test reports of all the people who were tested had arrived and only 69 were found to be infected. Umesh also added that all the other staff members of JNV have been vaccinated.

According to sources in the district administration, the school has been temporarily sealed, and doctors and paramedical staff have been deployed there. The school is being sanitised, they added.

Also Read: Karnataka: Two Covid clusters identified, 59 students test positive