News Analysis India

Tag: second Corona wave

  • UP closes all schools for students up to Class 8 till April 11 amid Covid surge

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to close all government and private schools up to Class VIII till April 11.

    As per the sources, the managements of about 200 unaided primary schools have decided to go back to the online mode of classes when the schools reopen on April 11. The decision comes amid the spike in Covid cases in the state. 

    “It is not easy to enforce COVID protocol with tiny tots as the situation seemingly is getting alarming in the wake of an unprecedented surge in the cases of COVID -19 cases. The current situation is a grim reminder of scenario in March-April last year when the deadly virus had struck and the schools were declared closed after the virus spread in epidemic from across the state.,” said a senior office-bearer of the association of unaided primary schools.

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    The decision to close the schools up to Class VIII was taken after CM Yogi reviewed the Covid situation in the state with his Team 11 on Friday morning. However, the Government Order (GO) mentions that during the period of closure, the school teachers and other staff would have to come to school. CM Yogi also issued directives to the Chief Secretary and other authorities concerned that Covid protocol should strictly be adhered to while conducting the classes for students of standard 9 to 12. 

    Meanwhile, Lucknow Unaided Private Schools Association announced the closure of all private and missionary schools from Class 1 to Class 12 till April 11. This decision would be applicable to all schools in Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Varanasi, and Lakhimpur Kheri districts.

    Unaided Private School Association president Ail Agarwal confirmed the decision to keep the private schools closed till April 11. All the teaching will takeplace through online classes. Only teachers would have to come to schools to complete the unfinished work related to board exams, Agarwal added.

  • India may be heading towards second Covid peak, smaller cities to be worst-hit this time: Centre

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Top functionaries in the government on Wednesday confirmed for the first time that India may be heading towards the second peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, but indicated that tier 2 and 3 cities may be the worst-hit this time.

    Mostly smaller towns in 70 districts of the country have seen the steepest rise of 150% and above in new cases over the last two weeks, with Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh recording a spike of 500%.

    In his meeting with Chief Ministers to discuss the worrying spike in coronavirus cases in several states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that it was critical to stop the “emerging second peak” of the pandemic with decisive steps including micro-containment zones and enforcement of Covid protocols.

    “We should be proactive. Wherever necessary, micro-containment zones should be declared without hesitation,” he said.

    The PM added: “If we don’t stop Covid right now, then there could be a nationwide outbreak. We will have to immediately stop the emerging second wave of Corona and for this, we will have to take quick and decisive steps.”

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    As per the details shared by the Union health ministry, the country now had over 2.34 lakh active Covid-19 cases and there has been around 43% week-on-week increase in cases and a 37% week-on-week rise in deaths due to infection over the last two weeks.

    There are 70 districts across 16 states, where the number of coronavirus cases has risen by 150% or more over the last two weeks and Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh has seen the steepest rise at 500%. On the other hand,  there are 55 districts in 17 states which have seen a rise of 100-150 % in the same time period.

    “We are seeing an emerging second peak,” said V K Paul, member, health, Niti Aayog who also heads the national task force on Covid-10. “The second peak is now, it seems in tier 2, tier 3 cities and is getting closer to the rural areas.

    Data shows that Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu continue to report a high number of daily new cases and together these states accounted for 71.10% of the 28,903 new cases reported on Tuesday. Altogether, there are 8 states where the pandemic graph is on a rising trajectory. 

    Also, 83.91% of the new cases are from Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala and Maharashtra alone account for 61.8% of the daily new cases with 17,864 cases.

     It is followed by Kerala with 1,970 while Punjab reported 1,463 new cases.