COVID-19: Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad tests positive

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad has tested positive for COVID-19. The minister announced on social media that she has mild symptoms and requested people who met her to take precautions.

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“I learned today that I tested positive for COVID-19 after first feeling symptoms yesterday evening. My symptoms are relatively mild. I'm fine and have isolated myself. Request those who met me the past few days to take precautions,” Gaikwad said in a tweet.

I learned today that I tested positive for COVID-19 after first feeling symptoms yesterday evening. My symptoms are relatively mild. I'm fine and have isolated myself. Request those who met me the past few days to take precautions.

— Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) December 28, 2021

Meanwhile, as per a Times of India report, the state government will take a decision on keeping schools and colleges open after taking a stock of the COVID-19 cases in the state, minister Aaditya Thackeray said.

Also Read | Delhi government schools to have winter vacation for primary classes from January 1 to 15

Recently, Gaikwad said that Maharashtra schools which recently resumed physical classes after a long gap owing to COVID-19 pandemic, may shut again due to increasing cases of Omicron.

Majority of the schools in Pune city and adjoining Pimpri Chinchwad town in Maharashtra reopened on December 16 for Classes 1 to 7.

Schools for Classes 1 to 7 in Mumbai reopened on December 15, instead of December 1. Mumbai school reopening date was postponed in wake of new COVID-19 variant, Omicron.

The Maharashtra Cabinet had allowed reopening of schools for Classes 1 to 4 in rural areas and 1 to 7 in urban areas in the state from December 1.

Currently, there are 1,426 new covid cases in the state.