COVID-19: Jammu DM orders closure of all schools in district up to primary level till March 31

In wake of COVID-19 outbreak, Jammu District Magistrate Sushma Chauhan on Saturday issued closure orders for all Government and Private schools up to the Primary level with immediate effect in the district till 31st March.

"COVID-19 has a pattern of transmission at a rapid rate in case prescribed preventive protocols, like avoiding mass gatherings, etc. are not strictly followed; and it is felt that children, particularly up to the Primary School level, should not be sent to schools to avoid mass gatherings," the order reads.

"Administering exams shall also not be a reason for making students up to the primary level to attend the schools. Any violation of this order shall invite action under the Indian Penal Code," the order added.

This comes after Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday said that the test results of two patients here suspected of coronavirus indicate that there is a high probability of them being positive for the disease.

The country's total number of positive cases of coronavirus touched 31 on Friday. The virus which originated from China's Wuhan has so far killed more than 3,200 people globally.