Luxembourg had invited pupils and staff to get tested as part of the large-scale testing programme when schools opened for the 2020-2021 school year as well as after the Christmas holidays.

Invitations to get tested were sent out last week, the ministry said in a press release on Wednesday. It urged everyone to get tested ahead of the return to the classroom at the end of the Easter holiday, on 19 April.

“This will allow a return to school and operation of education and daycare facilities in the greatest possible health security,” the statement said.

The number of infections rose steadily during March, from 308 during the week from 1 to 7 March to 435 in the week from 22 to 28 March, with the number of infection clusters within schools also growing.

For the week from 29 March to 4 April, there were 415 infections diagnosed among school students and staff. This included 344 so-called scenario 1 infections, in which the case is isolated and the source is outside the school.

Another 46 cases were in scenario 2, in which up to two cases are diagnosed within the same class. There were 25 scenario 3 infections, with three to five cases in one group. There were no scenario 4 infections, indicating an infection chain within the school community.