Meghalaya: COVID positive case detected in city school; students sent home 

SHILLONG: 

A class VI student of a premier school in Shillong, St Mary's Higher Secondary School has tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the school authorities to suspend offline classes until further notification, a health official informed on Friday. 

This new detection comes a day after a positive case was reported in Shillong College, an educational institution located barely 200 meters away from the school. 

The health official informed that the case of Shillong College was a case of re-infection. The positive patient had contracted the virus in January. 

"We had no idea about the detection of a positive case in the school. When we reached the school today morning to drop our wards, we were stopped at the gate and were only told that offline classes will be discontinued until further notification," said one of the parents. 

The Principal of the school refused to comment on the issue. 

ALSO READ: Meghalaya Govt issues new COVID-19 guidelines

ALSO READ: Meghalaya: No fresh COVID cases detected in NEHU; online classes to continue 

A meeting, recently convened by the Chief Secretary, decided that the closure of schools and other educational institutions may have to be considered based on the scenario that would unfold in the coming days.

Concerns were raised regarding the complacency of citizens despite the detection of fresh cases in the city. 

Meanwhile, the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has announced that all online classes would continue in view of the rise in COVID-19 cases in the different states and inside the NEHU campus.

The Government of Meghalaya has issued new guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state, including increased surveillance and restrictions.

The new guidelines come following the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the country in what is being termed as the ‘Second Wave’.

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