Puducherry, September 17: Following closure of schools for students studying from classes 1 to VIII after a rise in flu-like illness among children, the Puducherry government on Saturday announced that classes will also be closed for LKG and UKG.

The Health Department of Puducherry has opened dedicated clinics in all hospitals and primary health centres to treat children for flu like fever cases.

A spokesperson of the Health Department had told PTI on Friday that in view of the 'sharp rise' in number of children turning up for fever, cold and cough, the hospitals have intensified treatments.

Private clinics across Puducherry were also receiving cases of influenza for some days now. The Health Department's recommendation to the government to close schools to prevent spread of the flu like fever has been conceded by the administration. Monkeypox in India: ICMR Performs Genome Characterisation of MPV Cases, Identifies 3 Sub-Clusters Among A.2 Lineage.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy and Home Minister A Namassivayam in-charge of Education have given their nod to the Education Directorate's decision taken in the wake of the Health Department's recommendation to declare holiday for LKG, UKG and also for classes I to VIII from Saturday till September 25.

All government run schools and private institutions have shut the classes as a precautionary measure, a spokesperson of the Education Department said.