Tragic news from Leh 56 students test positive, schools shut
By: Shayib Bhat VOV
Srinagar
In a tragic and alarming situation, Leh town is again under the clouds of covid-19 infection. The latest news is that 56 students in Druk Padma Karpo School in Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh which is popularly known as Rancho School, tested positive for COVID-19.
This situation has resulted in closure of the schools both private and government in the entire Leh district for 15 days in order to avoid the spread of the infection to the other students.
Health officials told the Excelsior that 56 students in Druk Padma Karpo School, which had shot into fame following shooting of Aamir Khan’s ‘3 Idiots’ have tested positive for COVID-19.
They have been isolated and quarantined.
Soon after getting the report, the district administration Leh ordered closure of all schools in Leh district for 15 days and directed that Online classes should be encouraged.
Meanwhile, one person died of COVID-19 and 133 others tested positive in the Kashmir division while 22 fresh cases were registered in the Jammu region.
Among 22 new cases in Jammu, 12 were recorded in Doda, five Jammu, three Ramban and two in Rajouri district. Six other districts in the region didn’t report any fresh cases today.
As against 22 new cases, 34 persons recovered from the virus.
Jammu region’s Corona count now stood at 1,23,442. Among them 1,21,032 have recovered from the virus and there have been 241 active positive cases and 2169 casualties.
Meanwhile, Kashmir today reported 133 fresh cases of COVID-19.
One person died of COVID-19 in Kashmir taking the death toll in J&K to 4416 including 2247 in Kashmir.
Srinagar reported 96 cases, Baramulla 8, Budgam 8, Pulwama 3, Kupwara 6, Anantnag 1, Bandipora 3, Ganderbal 7 and Shopian 1.
The number of cases in Kashmir division has reached 204,179 including 200,733 recoveries and 2,247 deaths.
The number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 1,440 including 1,199 from Kashmir division.
With 135 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 321,765 which is 98.22 percent of the total cases.
Meanwhile, the School Education Department has permitted the schools to conduct offline Pre-Board examinations for classes 10th and 12th, session 2020-21in the winter zone schools.
An order in this regard was issued today, according to which Head of schools are permitted to conduct offline Pre-Board exams for class 10th & 12th, session 2020-21 while for in-person teaching of students, the earlier Government order shall be followed in letter and spirit by concerned Head of Schools.
As per Government order number 67-JK(DMRRR) of 2021, dated 12-09-2021, limited in-person teaching of vaccinated students of 10th and 12th class, not exceeding 50 percent of any given day, shall be permitted by the concerned Deputy Commissioners while ensuring that Covid protocols are strictly followed. Except for this relaxation, the schools shall continue to remain closed for on-site/in-person teaching.
The department has also clarified that in case of class Ist to 5th, online synchronous learning be undertaken for three sessions of 30-45 minutes of each school day while in case of 6th to 8th, online learning shall be for four sessions on each school day.
In case of Class 9th to 12th, online learning should be undertaken for not more than five sessions of 30-45 minutes on each school day.
With inputs from Daily Excelsior
