Karnataka: 50 teachers test Covid-positive; many schools shut

BENGALURU: More teachers and students have contracted Covid-19 after schools reopened in the state on January 1. On Tuesday, 50 teachers tested positive in different parts of the state, leading to closure of several schools.
In Belagavi, 22 teachers who tested positive are in home quarantine and are not in contact with colleagues or students. A school at Kadoli village in Belagavi taluk was shut for a day after a teacher showed Covid-19 symptoms
AB Pundalik, deputy director of public instruction, Belagavi educational district, said teachers had undergone Covid-19 tests last week.“Those with symptoms were asked not to come to school and those who tested negative conducted classes for the tenth standard students,” he added.
Seven schools in Chitradurga district were shut down for two days from Tuesday after six teachers, including four women and a second division assistant, tested positive. “All have been sent to home quarantine and schools have been sanitised, said Chitradurga DDPI Ravishankar Reddy.
A government school in Bolegaon village, Indi taluk of Vijayapura district was shut after a teacher tested positive. The authorities instructed all students who attended classes to be under home quarantine for the next few days. According to Vijayapura deputy commissioner P Sunil Kumar, a teacher had tested positive without any symptoms. “The school is being sanitised. Students who attended classes of the teacher are from 6th and 7th standards (Vidyagama). I have directed the District Surveillance Officer to test all students and other teachers in that school,” he said.
In Chikkamagaluru, four students and five teachers in different schools tested positive. Deputy Commissioner of Chikkamagaluru Bagadi Goutham said teachers and students who tested positive belong to schools in Mudigere, Kadur and Chikkamagaluru.
Health minister K Sudhakar said there was no need to panic and stressed the government was keeping a vigil. “We have made adequate arrangements to ensure students get good treatment. People have to cooperate for the academic progress of students,” he added.
Following complaints by parents, Kodagu district administration said Covid test for students is optional. “Only if there are any symptoms will the test be compulsory,’’ it said.
Attendance good
Attendance in PU colleges rose marginally to 57%, with 2.4 lakh of total 4.2 lakh attending classes in 5,492 PU colleges. On Monday, it was 55%. In Class 10, 51% students attended classes — 4.8 lakh of 9.3 lakh students.
Attendance for Vidyagama was only 20% across the state. Bengaluru North had only 10% and South 8%. The highest was in Dakshin Kannada (47%), Sirsi (42%), Kodagu (42%).
In Bengaluru, attendance for II PU is 49% in Bangalore South and 42% in Bangalore North. The latter is the lowest in Karnataka. However, only half the colleges have entered data in the SATS website.
The trend remains the same for Class 10 as well. While Uttara Kannada has 83% attendance and Udupi 81%, Bidar has only 34% and Bengaluru North 36%.
Classes for classes 10 and 12 had started on Friday.