Mandi: As many as 92 people have tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday in a school in Mandi district, ever since the school reopened on November 2 for classes ninth to twelfth.   

There was panic after 92 people including 67 students and 25 staff tested positive in a residential school, Tibetan Children Village (TCV), Soja, Jogindernagar in Mandi district on Saturday.

There are many children studying in the school from Arunachal Pradesh, Ladhak , Nepal and Maharashtra studying in the school.   

Chief Medical Officer Dr Devinder Sharma has confirmed of 92 people testing positive in the TCV School.

“Many students from across the state had come back for studies after school re-opened”, he said, adding that as most of the students travelled from outside the state like Ladhak, Arunachal Pradesh, Nepal and Maharashtra.

As a precautionary measure the students were segregated in the school and samples taken for tests, he added.  

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the state government said that the Covid-19 positive students between the age group of 16 to 18 years of TCV School have travel history from outside state.

Those found Covid-19 positive, include 47 girls, 20 boys and 25 staff members. This was found when administration adopted proactive approach on their arrival from outside state and carried out routine enhanced testing under its special testing campaign, said the spokesperson. 

All students tested positive came between 25 to 31 October from Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Maharashtra and Nepal, said the spokesperson.

“The virus was detected in the students due to pro-active approach of state Government. District Administration took stock of the facilities available in the school premises and isolated them. They are under observation of the Health Department and as if required would be shifted to Covid Care Centre or hospital,” he said.

All the barriers have been opened as per the guidelines of the Central Government and the state government is taking all preventive measures to make sure that no infected person stays in state to safeguard the local population, he added.

Covid tests have been increased in the state and about six thousand tests are being done regularly, added the spokesperson.