Hyderabad: The Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society has gone into overdrive after 36 persons in its Nagole branch tested positive for COVID-19.
The state is witnessing a surge of sorts with 247 cases being recorded as per information released by the Office of the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare. A large number of these cases are in the districts. The TMREIS School in Nagole is in the Medchal–Malkajgiri district has witnessed 41 cases. It is likely that the number includes cases from the school.
As per the sources, the top leadership of TMREIS, which includes A K Khan, advisor to the Telangana State, and B Shafiullah, a senior TS Forest Department official on deputation to TMRIES, convened a meeting at the corporate office in Banjara Hills, Road Number 10, to study the situation, and check whether there are any lacunae in the monitoring system. The meetings went on for long hours and were reportedly attended by staff of the schools.
A source speaking on the condition of anonymity said that the series of meetings focused on important aspects such as a rigorous upkeep of hygiene, sanitation, sanitizing, and further course of action in case of another outbreak, if any. The source also said that the top management is unwilling to tolerate any laxity with regards to maintaining social distancing.
The source said that it is not only students, but some members of the staff too have tested positive. They are kept in the isolation ward of the school. He explained that as of now, there is no need to worry as the symptoms have not aggravated. There are likely to more asymptomatic students and staff, he added
“There were one or two positive cases which came to the attention of the management in the past. But they were taken care of as per protocol. This is the first time such a thing has happened. The management is taking this seriously. They have discussed it with principals of schools. Those who are positive for COVID-19 have been sent to the isolation ward in the school and many others who tested negative are sent back home to their parents. TMREIS is not an isolated case. Zilla Parishad School students too have tested positive. To say that this is happening only in TMREIS is wrong,” the source said.
Students returned to TMREIS schools in a phased manner on February 1, after the State government gave the go-ahead. The student and staff strength in the more than 200 schools managed by TMREIS is low due to the pandemic.
It was reported that the Zilla Parishad Girls School in Mancherial was another COVID-19 cluster. On March 15 around 14 teaching, non-teaching staff and students had tested positive. A day later, 41 persons tested positive.