Bengaluru teen with COVID-19 attended school, classmates home quarantined

The girl, a student of a private school in Whitefield, had attended classes the whole of last week.

news Coronavirus

One of the four persons who have tested positive for coronavirus in Bengaluru is a 13-year-old student from a school in Whitefield area in the city. Her father, an employee with Dell, had come to Bengaluru from Austin, Texas via New York and Dubai. He was tested positive on March 9 and the wife and daughter on March 10.

On March 9 itself, the father had immediately informed the school that he has been tested positive for coronavirus. The private school in Whitefield shut down and cancelled classes. The school has also sent the address and contact details of 1700 students studying there to the government.

However, what is concerning is that the student had attended classes the whole of last week- from March 2 to March 6. There are 28 other students in her class. Though local health officials did ask for the contacts of the students who sat next to her, the school said that they have a rotation system and students keep changing their positions.

“All the 28 students in the class have been asked to be on home quarantine. All other students in the school are only on medical observation. Which means if they show any symptoms, they should tell the health department,” said Dr. BG Prakash Kumar of the Department of Family Welfare.

However, a parent, whose child is in the same class as the patient, told TNM that a health officer called them on Wednesday morning- which is two days after the girl's results came in- to ask if their child was showing any symptoms of fever or cold. However, the parent says they were not given any specific instructions to keep the child in home quarantine. Another parent however said that the officer who called her said that the child has to be in home quarantine.

Though not everyone has got specific instructions, the parents, co-ordinating through a WhatsApp group, have communicated to each other that the children will be kept on home quarantine.

According to guidelines issued by the CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention), the people with suspected or mild cases of CORVID-19, or coronavirus, should stay at home in a specific room, and avoid interacting with others. They also advise those under home-isolation to avoid contact with their pets.

Those with suspected cases are not to share their personal items such as dishes, toothbrushes, drinking glasses, or bedding with anyone else. In the unlikely event of interacting with other people or medical staff, they are to wear a facemask. They should wash their hands frequently, and use a disposable napkin. All medical waste like used tissues and masks should be disposed of in a lined bin and sealed before being handed over to waste processing.

‘High-touch’ surfaces such as doors, phones, railings and keyboards need to be cleaned frequently, to avoid the spread of the virus. Those with symptoms need to monitor themselves closely, and call for an ambulance if they feel the symptoms are worsening.

Health workers would be able to tell when the person can stop home isolation.