At least 190 students and 70 teachers of two government schools in the Malappuram district of Kerala have tested positive for COVID19.

Following detection of positive cases, the district health officials of Malappuram instructed the authorities of the two schools to keep more vigil and implement the COVID19 protocol strictly.

A media report quoted a district health official as saying that around 150 students and 34 teachers of the Maranchery higher secondary school tested COVID19 positive on Sunday.

The report quoted the official as saying that more than 600 students of Maranchery HS School had to undergo test for the virus after a student tested COVID19 positive last week.

The official said after the test, it came to light that all the students, who were tested positive, belonged to Class X.

The classmates of the student, who tested positive first, also tested COVID19 positive, the official said.

In another such alarming case, a total of 39 students and 36 teachers of Vanneri higher secondary school at Ponnani tested positive for COVID19.

Both the schools have reportedly been closed for disinfecting.

The district health officials have asked the school authorities to strictly follow the norms of social distancing and other COVID19 protocols in the schools to avoid such cases.

The school authorities have also been asked to strictly implement use of masks and thermal testing of the students who attend the classes.

The district health officials have also asked the parents and family members of the students and teachers, who tested positive, to go into quarantine.