A cluster of COVID-19 cases has been identified at the Government-aided Girls Higher Secondary School at Ammapettai here. A total of 56 people, 55 students and one teacher, have tested positive and are undergoing treatment, heath officials said.

According to senior health officials, a student had suffered from symptoms of fever and cold last week. She was tested for the viral infection, and the report indicated that she was positive.

Subsequently, two batches of COVID-19 tests were conducted for the 1100 students and staff at the school. In the first batch, 20 persons tested positive, and in the second batch, 36 tested positive, I. Raveendran, Deputy Director of Health Services, Thanjavur, said.

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Among the 56 patients is one teacher, while the remaining are students of Classes 9, 10, 11 and 12. All patients are asymptomatic, a source at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital said.

Among them, 17 have been admitted to the Thanjavur Medical College hospital and four at the Tiruvarur Government Medical College Hospital. The remaining are undergoing treatment at private hospitals in the district.

Dr. Raveendran said that an enquiry would be undertaken to determine if there was any lapse in adherance to safety protocol including mask-wearing at the school.