Chennai, Sep 15 (IANS): While the state government is mulling to reopen schools for junior classes, 16 senior students of two schools in Tiruppur have tested Covid-19 positive.

Officials of the Department of Health and Education said that eight boys of class 12 at Corporation Higher Secondary School in Tiruppur tested positive on Tuesday evening. Education department officials said that the school will be closed from Wednesday to Friday for disinfecting the classrooms and will be open from Monday only.

Health officials said that the students are asymptomatic and are under house isolation.

Health and Education department officials said that eight students of a private higher secondary school at Palladam, Tiruppur also tested positive. Officials said that a class 12 girl tested positive and after that school officials and health officials took the swab samples of 1,100 students.

The test reports indicated that seven students of classes 11 and 12 tested positive. Health officials said that the students were asymptomatic and are in home isolation.

The school, according to the Education department officials will be shut down for this week and disinfectants will be sprayed in the classrooms.

Deputy Director of Health Services, Tiruppur district, K. Jagadeesh Kumar said that any school where more than three Covid-19 cases are reported will be closed for sanitisation. The medical department of Tiruppur is collecting swab samples of school students and faculty in a random manner to check whether a spread has taken place.

Chief Educational Office of Tiruppur, B. Ramesh while speaking to IANS said, "The number of government school students who have tested Covid-19 positive is 11 in Tiruppur district now. Nine government school teachers and Block Educational officer of Medathukualam block have been tested positive."

With the students of Tiruppur district reporting Covid positive cases, the decision of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on reopening of schools for junior classes is likely to be delayed.