CHENNAI: At least 33 people tested positive for Covid-19 at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras on Monday, bringing the campus case count to 104, including 87 students. Test results for nearly 400 more people are yet to come.
In addition to the students, 16 canteen workers and a staff member residing at the guesthouse tested positive. More than 90 people who tested positive were admitted to an isolation ward at the National Institute on Aging at the King Institute for Preventive Medicine.
“At least 23% of those analyzed so far have tested positive. But the doctors told us that tests including X-rays and CT scans show a mild infection. All patients are stable and are being closely monitored, ”said Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, who visited the hospital.
He later visited the campus to hold talks with the director of IIT-M, Bhaskar Ramamurthi. “All campus residents have been screened. We also ask those who visited the campus in the last 15 days to take the test, ”he said.
Greater Chennai Corporation (South) Regional Deputy Commissioner Alby John said the campus had been fumigated and all residents had been screened. “We have asked people to wear masks and maintain social distance at all times,” he said.
While classes are being held online, the academic zone, including departments, laboratories and libraries, was closed. The students were asked to self-quarantine in shelters. The IIT-M spokesperson said most of the cases were reported from two shelters. Cases were also reported in seven other shelters.
On Monday, students complained that management was not isolating students with symptoms of the viral infection until test results came in. “A student with a fever, cough and cold is drinking water from the same source that we use and using the same bathroom. We fear that other students may also become infected if they do not isolate students with symptoms, ”said a student in his master’s degree.
The students said there were no senior members of the faculty or administrative staff to attend to issues such as the amount of food or lack of clean water. “We ran out of drinking water this morning. They are also serving food with less quantity. There is no action despite informing the administration, “said a student residing in Alok Nanda Hostel. Another student in the same hostel said the warden left a WhatsApp group following student complaints.
The students said that corporation officials had provided counseling to the students asking them not to be afraid of Covid-19 infection.
In addition to the students, 16 canteen workers and a staff member residing at the guesthouse tested positive. More than 90 people who tested positive were admitted to an isolation ward at the National Institute on Aging at the King Institute for Preventive Medicine.
“At least 23% of those analyzed so far have tested positive. But the doctors told us that tests including X-rays and CT scans show a mild infection. All patients are stable and are being closely monitored, ”said Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, who visited the hospital.
He later visited the campus to hold talks with the director of IIT-M, Bhaskar Ramamurthi. “All campus residents have been screened. We also ask those who visited the campus in the last 15 days to take the test, ”he said.
Greater Chennai Corporation (South) Regional Deputy Commissioner Alby John said the campus had been fumigated and all residents had been screened. “We have asked people to wear masks and maintain social distance at all times,” he said.
While classes are being held online, the academic zone, including departments, laboratories and libraries, was closed. The students were asked to self-quarantine in shelters. The IIT-M spokesperson said most of the cases were reported from two shelters. Cases were also reported in seven other shelters.
On Monday, students complained that management was not isolating students with symptoms of the viral infection until test results came in. “A student with a fever, cough and cold is drinking water from the same source that we use and using the same bathroom. We fear that other students may also become infected if they do not isolate students with symptoms, ”said a student in his master’s degree.
The students said there were no senior members of the faculty or administrative staff to attend to issues such as the amount of food or lack of clean water. “We ran out of drinking water this morning. They are also serving food with less quantity. There is no action despite informing the administration, “said a student residing in Alok Nanda Hostel. Another student in the same hostel said the warden left a WhatsApp group following student complaints.
The students said that corporation officials had provided counseling to the students asking them not to be afraid of Covid-19 infection.
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