Noida: Over 20 kids test COVID-19 positive this week, health advisory issued to schools

Noida: The Gautam Buddh Nagar health department on Monday issued an advisory to schools as 10 more children tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of minors who got infected this week to over 20 in the district.

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All schools across Noida and Greater Noida have been advised to immediately inform the health department about any child with cough, cold, fever, diarrhoea or showing any symptom of COVID-19 for timely treatment.

One of the schools, which had reported infection to 13 children and three teachers on Monday, has switched to the online mode till next week. Details of other schools could not be confirmed even as it was learnt that the 10 children who have now tested positive for COVID-19 belong to different schools.

In a statement, the health department said 33 more people, including the 10 children, have tested positive for the infection since Tuesday morning and the total number of active cases in the district, adjoining Delhi, now stands at 90. "Of the new cases reported today, 10 are children.

We have not got any information from their schools, neither were the COVID-19 tests held in their schools. The schools have not reported the cases. Had it been so, they would have discontinued physical classes and we would also have issued an advisory," Chief Medical Officer Dr Sunil Kumar Sharma told a TV news channel.

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In view of the increasing cases, the health department has issued an advisory on reporting of school students catching COVID-19 or showing its symptoms in a preventive measure against the pandemic.

"You are requested that if any child studying in your school has cough, cold, fever, diarrhea or any symptom of COVID-19, then you are requested to immediately inform the chief medical officer's office using help line no-1800492211 or email ID cmogbnr@gmail.com, so that proper treatment can be provided in time,” the advisory issued by the chief medical officer stated.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, a total of 98,743 people in Gautam Buddh Nagar have tested positive for COVID-19, while 490 of them have died due to the infection, according to official data.