Since the reopening of schools at the start of the year, 166 teachers and non-teaching staff have tested positive for COVID-19. A majority of those who contracted the virus had not interacted with students as they were tested before classes commenced.
The Department of Primary and Secondary Education had made it mandatory for all teaching and non-teaching staff across the State to get tested for COVID-19 before schools reopened on January 1. A senior official from the department said that schools will be sanitised and reopened after a few days if the teachers had visited the premises.
The highest number of COVID-19 positive cases was reported in Uttara Kannada district with 19 teachers and one non-teaching staff testing positive. In Belagavi district, 18 teachers have tested positive for COVID-19.
Data collated by the department shows that, till date, no positive case was reported in 13 districts.
