Express News Service
CHENNAI: There has been a major coronavirus outbreak within India’s main educational institution, IIT Madras, and the campus is temporarily blocked. According to health authorities, in the last two weeks 71 cases of Covid were reported, of which 66 are students, four
dining room staff and one of the resident bedrooms. The highest peak in a single day was Sunday with 32 new cases and the number is likely to rise in the coming days with the Tamil Nadu government instructing the institute to test all students on campus.
The IIT Madras has issued an official circular on Sunday reporting the closure of all departments and facilities with immediate effect.
The circular, a copy of which is accessed by Express, reads: “In view of the recent increase in Covid cases in the hostel sector, it has been decided to close all departments, centers and the library immediately until further Notice. All faculty, staff, project staff, and research scholars will be working from home until then. All students, scholars, and project staff staying on campus are strictly advised to limit themselves to the hostel rooms and maintain social distance at all times for your own safety, “it reads.
Warnings previously issued by the administration, the government of Tamil Nadu and the government of India must be fully adhered to. “In case of any Covid symptoms (fever, dry cough, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste / smell or any other symptoms), you should immediately contact the authorities of the IIT Madras hospital,” the circular says.
When contacted, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan told Express that health authorities are working to shut down IIT Madras to contain the spread. “These kinds of localized clusters are expected. We suspect the cause is a common disorder, where students gather, and we advise the administration to close the disorder and deliver the food directly to residents. We have asked the institute to conduct tests everyone and Chennai Corporation will help them disinfect the hot spots. “
According to official data, there are nine student hostels and a guest house from where Covid cases have been reported. A total of 774 students currently reside on campus, of which samples have been collected from 408 students to date. The Krishna shelter reported the maximum Covid cases of 22, followed by 20 Jamuna cases.
“The cause of the outbreak is being identified, either due to disorder or imported cases. Masks, hand washing, social distancing and other standard procedures are being monitored. The IIT Madras administration has been extending all cooperation and following standard operating procedure. All districts have been sensitized to monitor public places, especially educational institutions and shelters, and fever surveillance has also been intensified, “Radhakrishnan said.
Some of the research students and scholars, who spoke to this reporter, also alleged that the IIT Madras administration’s decision to run a single disaster for a long time and force hundreds of resident students to vacate the hostels and become day scholars has led to this crisis. .
“Currently, daytime academics have outnumbered hotel students. We will not know who has spread the infection since so many people are allowed in and out on a daily basis,” said a postdoctoral fellow.
Constantly in contact with civic authorities: IIT Madras
In response to Express inquiries, IIT Madras said the institute has been operating in limited capacity with only 10 percent of students in shelters. In detailing the issue, the IIT Madras said in the
Statement that as soon as some students residing in the shelters reported an outbreak of symptomatic cases, the institute has consulted with the civic authorities and arranged that all students residing in
shelters to be tested for Covid. To be on the safe side, all students have been asked to stay in their rooms and students are being provided with packed lunch at the shelters.
IIT Madras has allowed researchers who need to do experimental work to return to campus in a cautious manner, with a 14-day quarantine and testing of each returnee. “Our ability to quarantine (with room service) is limited, and this limits the speed at which we can bring students back to shelters,” said IIT Madras.
Some project staff members who work on research projects and stay in the city have been coming to work in the labs, as the government allowed, the statement said. There is a SoP to determine how many academics and project staff can safely work in each laboratory based on its size, ventilation, etc. Research scholars who wanted to return earlier (out of turn regarding the SoP implied by quarantine
prior to their release to the shelters) they were allowed to do so if they were willing to stay off campus in a similar manner to project staff, until their turn came to be accepted into the shelters, and as long as their lab could accommodate them, as per the release.
“We will try to increase our ability to quarantine returning students as the government is releasing the shelters they have taken into custody to quarantine Covid patients for the past 7 months. IIT Madras has been in constant contact with civic authorities and has been following all protocols and security measures, “the statement read.
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