Ladakh 18th September 21:Schools in Leh district have been closed for 15 days from Saturday after Ladakh reported 71 fresh cases of COVID-19, the highest single-day rise in the past over two months, taking the overall infection tally to 20,702, officials said.In an order issued late Friday, the district magistrate Shrikant Balasaheb Suse said the decision was taken in view of reporting of fresh COVID-19 cases in schools and in the interest of the public health and safety.However, the order, said online classes would be encouraged with Covid standard operating procedures (SOPS).Leh’s chief medical officer and chief education officer have been directed to ensure that the students leaving from residential schools or hostels for their homes are mandatorily screened for RT-PCR test.The students have to undergo home quarantine along with their family members for seven days irrespective of their results, the order said, adding that “any violation of the directions shall invite strict action under relevant sections of DM Act, 2005.”Of the 71 new cases, the officials said 70 case, including dozens of students were detected in Leh and one in Kargil. There are now 109 active cases in Ladakh, including 106 in Leh and three in Kargil, they said.Pertinently cases were detected from Druk Padma Karpo School Shey, prompting the DM to notify the school campus as a containment zone to stop further spread of the infection.The officials said three Covid patients, two in Leh and one in Kargil, were discharged after successful treatment, taking the total number of cured patients to 20,386.Ladakh has registered 207 COVID-related deaths, 149 in Leh and 58 in Kargil since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.(CNS)
