Thane school shifts to online teaching amid suspected health scare among students

THANE: A private school in Maharashtra's Thane city has temporarily shifted to the online mode of classes after complaints of suspected cases of mosquito-borne illnesses among several students and teachers.

The school management on Tuesday said that reports of a large number of students being affected by dengue are "baseless allegations with vested interests".

It said the Thane Municipal Corporation's (TMC) health inspection found no evidence of mosquito breeding on the premises. The school has shifted to the online mode for students from nursery to Class 10 from June 18 to 28, it said.

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"As a precautionary measure, we have got the fumigation done and have installed mosquito nets on all windows on the school campus," a school management representative said.

TMC's Medical Officer of Health Dr Prasad Patil said a civic team was sent to the school on Monday following complaints from parents. He said that while active breeding was not spotted, the potential for it existed.

"We identified and destroyed several potential mosquito breeding spots, such as pots, torn tyres and old furniture where water could collect," Patil said. "We have conducted extensive spraying and fogging in the school premises and the surrounding construction sites," he added.