Primary contacts of infected SSLC student in Hassan test negative for novel coronavirus

Udupi: The reports of a student who appeared for SSLC examination on Saturday testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Padubidri in Udupi triggered panic among those who had shared the room with the student, and among the officials of department of public instruction (DPI) in the district. But there was also cause for cheer on Sunday after 18 students and the supervisor who had shared the room with the infected student in Hassan on the same day tested negative for the novel coronavirus.
Minister for primary and secondary education S Suresh Kumar told TOI that the student in Padubidri had been tested for Covid-19 after her father had been confirmed infected. “Since the reports confirmed that the student was positive for the novel coronavirus, the exam centre has been sanitised, and it will not serve as a venue for the science examination on Monday. The other students will be accommodated in the reserve room in the centre and all of them will be provided with N95 masks,” the minister said.
Kumar said that they would take a call on replacing the invigilators, deployed in the room where the Covid-19 patient was seated at the Padubidri centre and subjecting students in the room to tests soon. This follows a similar move where DPI had decided to replace all invigilators at an examination centre in Pavagada taluk in Tumakuru district after an observer was confirmed infected.
The minister sought to allay the fears of parents of those students who were at the Mallipatna college in Hassan, stating that the institution had been shut and sanitised. “The student in question was shifted to a reserve toom since the officials at the centre learnt of the test results when the exam was about to end,” Kumar added.
Meanwhile, the department of health and family welfare has identified as many as 25 students with Covid-19, all of whom have been exempted from appearing for the SSLC examination.
Kumar said that the health department had mandated adherence to the standard operating procedure as far as safety was concerned, which was being followed to the letter at the centres. “So, the other students at the exam hall cannot be counted as contacts. They may be permitted to write the remaining exams, either in another room, or we will allow them to take the supplementary exam,” the minister said.