COVID-19: No morning assembly in schools; anganwadis closed

New Delhi: The Delhi government has directed schools in the national Capital to suspend morning assembly as a precautionary measure for Coronavirus, officials said on Friday.

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has also advised schools to withhold biometric attendance for staff till further orders.

"Do not hold school assembly. Also withhold biometric attendance for staff till further orders," the DoE has said in a letter to principals of all government and private schools.

The primary classes of all schools in the national capital have been closed till March 31, but students of secondary classes and staff are required to attend school.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said anganwadis have been closed in view of the coronavirus scare.

The government child-care centres have been closed from Friday, he added.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country is 31, according to Union health ministry officials.

As the Union Health Ministry is busy with preparations for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus, the Delhi government is ready with 230 beds in hospitals for any patient of the disease.

The 25 hospitals where these special beds have been set up include six private facilities.

So far, 31 people in India have tested positive of coronavirus out of which 16 are Italian tourists.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said, "Isolation wards and special beds have been made in 19 government and six private hospitals to deal with coronavirus. Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital have been set up as nodal hospitals to deal with coronavirus."

The Delhi government has issued an advisory to avoid gatherings for a few days as a preventive measure against coronavirus. Jain said, "Coronavirus can be avoided if people are alert."

The Minister said masks and hand sanitisers are not necessary for common people. "The masks are necessary only for doctors and medical staff. Apart from physicians, people who are suffering from cold-cough, cold, fever, etc., can also use the masks. Similary, since the doctors can't wash their hands after treating every patients so they use hand sanitisers."