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Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh has announced a complete shutdown of all schools and colleges till March 22 as a precautionary measure in wake of the novel Coronavirus toll rising across the country. Classes in medical colleges will be suspended as a precautionary measure. However, exams will be held as per their pre-announced schedule.
Briefing the media after a meeting with senior ministers, Adityanath said, “Exams will not be disturbed and will continue as per their schedule. Till March 22, all schools and colleges will stay closed. We will review the situation again on March 20 and will take a call.”
He said this step has been taken as a precautionary measure. “The situation in the state is fully under control and we are fighting coronavirus as per the directions from the government. Five more laboratories will be established in sometime,” he added.
The planned celebrations on the completion of three years of the UP government will also be either suspended or will be a low-key affair. The state government has not yet declared coronavirus as an “epidemic” but has vested powers of the Epidemic Act on local authorities to deal with the situation.
Adityanath said three places have been authorised for testing in the state — King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGI), both based in Lucknow, and one institute in Aligarh. Arrangements are also being made at BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur and Benaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi for testing of the virus and treatment,” he said.
Till now, a total of 11 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the state. Of these, 10 are being treated in Delhi and one at KGMU.
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