Corona in Odisha: 64 school students test COVID-19 positive in Rayagada district

As many as 64 school students living in two hostels in Odisha's Rayagada district have tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, officials said.

The students were found positive after the random testing was done but they have no symptoms of OCVID-19 and have been isolated.

According to Rayagada District Magistrate Saroj Kumar Mishra precautions have been taken and the situation is under control.

"There is no corona outbreak as such. But during random testing, we found some positive cases in two residential hostels and 64 students were found positive. The students have no symptoms and have been isolated. However, we are sending their samples to the state headquarters for rechecking. Medical teams have been deployed in the hostels," said Saroj Kumar Mishra.

A total of 44 students from Rayagada district headquarters Anwesha hostel were found positive. Students studying in nine different English medium schools of Rayagada reside in this hostel.

Similarly, another 22 students of Hatamuniguda Hostel were found to have contracted the virus in the Bismam Katak block of the Rayagada district.

Dr Satyanarayan Panigrahi, Bhubaneswar, State Public Health Department, who came to take stock of the situation said, "The children are perfectly all right. All the positive cases there being taken care of and are being provided with adequate medicine. All of them are now symptoms-free. The situation is fully under control necessary steps are being taken care with the district administration."

As per reports, 257 inmates of Anwesha Hostel at Kotlaguda were made to undergo an RT-PCR test by the rapid response team of the Health Department on May 4. Among them, 44 tested positive for COVID.

The district magistrate immediately directed the hostel authorities to take prevention measures after receiving the report.

Anwesha hostel is run by the Tribal Affairs Department of the Odisha government.

(ANI)