Coronavirus: Dubai private schools told to cancel trips and activities

Officials issue circular asking schools to cease activities that involve pupil or teacher gatherings until further notice

A school pupil in Dubai contracted coronavirus from a parent who had been abroad, Dubai Health Authority said. Getty

Private schools in Dubai have been told to cancel any activities that require travel or pupil gatherings in an effort to stay the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

The private school regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, issued a circular calling on schools, early learning centres and universities to cease such activities until further notice.

The circular said all "internal and external" trips should be halted, any scheduled competitions, festivities and gatherings within educational institutions should also be cancelled.

Teacher events would also be postponed, the circular - seen by The National - read.

"With this communication, all pre-planned trips and related approvals issued by the KHDA became invalid," the notice said.

The new rules come just days after the Dubai Health Authority sent forms home to parents of school children to declare their travel history.

The form asked parents if their children or close relatives have travelled to countries with high infection rates, including China, South Korea and Iran, in the past 28 days.

The information aims to help build a picture of potential risks.

Parents were asked if their child or relative returned with a fever or flu-like symptoms or if they had any contact with someone confirmed to have the virus.