PESHAWAR: Seven teachers of a government school in Peshawar have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

According to information made available through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education Department (ESED), the affected teachers belong to the Government Higher Secondary School No. 1 Peshawar Cantt, a highly-reputed and one of the top public sector schools in the provincial metropolis. The tests of the teachers were conducted last week and results were received on Tuesday.

An official of the ESED said none of the affected teachers have met any student of the school. He said the tests of all the affected teachers will be taken again before declaring them fit for school duty. He said the Health Department has already been informed about coronavirus tests of the teachers and students on random basis.

The teachers of the schools have been diagnosed with the virus the same day the schools in Peshawar and rest of Pakistan reopened after a gap of six months due to coronavirus lockdown. The emergence of new coronavirus cases has underlined the tough challenge ahead for the government for containing the spread of the virus after reopening of the educational institutions.

The government has already made it clear that educational institutions will be reopened gradually only after making sure that coronavirus is not spreading again. Colleges, universities and schools for matriculation level students reopened on Tuesday, middle schools will reopen the next week and primary schools will reopen after two weeks if the coronavirus situation remains under control.

The Education Department has issued standard operating procedures for reopening of the schools. However, these SOPs were not followed in letter and spirit as educational institutions reopened on Tuesday.

Although, coronavirus is on its way out in Pakistan, but still new cases are being reported on daily basis. Keeping in view the potential of the virus to strike back, the Pakistan government has not declared complete victory against it.

On Tuesday, 61 new cases were confirmed in KP, taking the total toll of coronavirus patients to 37,140. No new deaths were reported keeping the total at 1,257. As many as 85 more patients have recovered, taking the total tally to 35,181. Active cases in KP are 702.