The East Singhbhum district health department began conducting Covid tests on students of private English medium schools in Jamshedpur on Tuesday starting with DBMS English High School in Kadma where a student had contracted the virus last week after which the school had to be closed for sanitisation.

Health officials said over 200 students between Class IX and XII underwent RT-PCR tests that were conducted in their classroom.

"The school authorities called students for undergoing the Covid test, reports of which will be sent through SMS to the respective students within the next 48 hours," said a health department official who conducted the tests.

He said similar Covid tests would be carried out for senior students in other schools including Loyola that had to be sealed for three days last week after a teacher tested Covid positive.

The management of DBMS English School and Andhra Association English School in Kadma had to close their schools on April 1 after a student and teacher tested positive.

There has been a a spurt in Covid-19 cases in East Singhbhum district, especially in steel city, since the last one week. District health authorities have issued an alert to all hospitals over the rising cases of Covid-19. Sidhgora-based Professional College has been converted into a Covid care centre.

"Almost everyday we are recording Covid positive cases from places like Kadma, Sakchi, Sonari and Mango in urban areas. Cases are also coming in from various rural blocks of the district. Covid tests have, therefore, been intensified across the district," said Sahir Pal, the district surveillance officer. he said.