COVID-19: Physical attendance in Aurangabad schools made optional

Contacttracing is 11.43 and 8.93 is the positivity rate in thedistrict, Gavhane added.Commissioner of Police Nikhil Gupta warned that if thesituation worsens, the administration might rethink ofimposing curfew.Doctors are warning about the second wave of thepandemic and people should follow the guidelines.

In view of the rising COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra's Aurangabad, the students of classes5 to 9 and class 11 in schools of the district have been giventhe option of attending the classes online, officials said onThursday.

The announcement was made during a press conferenceheld by acting district collector Anant Gavhane, MunicipalCommissioner Astik Kumar Pandey, Police Commissioner NikhilGupta and Superintendent of Police Mokshada Patil.

''In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we havedecided to make optional the physical presence of students forclasses 5 to 11 in schools,'' Pandey said.

''This option will be open till February 28. Thesituation will be monitored again and a decision will be takenabout resumption of physical attendance,'' he added.

The classes for SSC (class 10) and HSC (class 12) willcontinue the way they are currently being held, he said.

Gavhane said that the administration has appealed to190 function/event halls in the district to follow all thesafety regulations in view of the pandemic.

''These function halls have been asked to followguidelines, failing which their property will be sealed. Fiftyflying squads have been created comprising personnel of therural development, police and revenue departments,'' he said.

''We have reached the peak of nearly 6,500 activepatients. The district currently has 11,763 beds, 2,124 oxygenbeds, 300 ventilators and 532 ICU beds. The facilities whichwere closed due to the decrease graph of coronavirus patients,will be opened if needed. There are nearly 115 dedicatedCOVID-19 hospitals, Covid care centers and health clinicshere,'' he said.

Action would be taken against people not wearingmasks, he said.

The district has so far witnessed 1,247 deaths due tothe infection, while the death rate is 2.60 per cent. Contacttracing is 11.43 and 8.93 is the positivity rate in thedistrict, Gavhane added.

Commissioner of Police Nikhil Gupta warned that if thesituation worsens, the administration might rethink ofimposing curfew.

''Doctors are warning about the second wave of thepandemic and people should follow the guidelines. If thesituation worsens, the administration can think of night aswell as day curfew,'' he said.

The number of cases in Aurangabad district has gone upto 47,979 with 137 fresh cases. A total of 46,235 people havebeen discharged and there are 498 active patients in thedistrict, another official said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)