All students of Bangalore University’s hostels in the Jnanabharathi campus will be tested for COVID-19 after two students in the hostel tested positive.
Final year undergraduate and postgraduate students returned to the hostels last week as they have to attend revision classes for the final examination slated this month.
K.R. Venugopal, vice chancellor, said that the two students who tested positive have been sent to two city-based hospitals. While one student is from Doddaballapura, Bengaluru Rural district, another hails from Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are monitoring the health of all students in the hostel. We will get everyone tested and organise mass testing camps,” said Prof. Venugopal. He said they are in touch with health experts and want all students to undergo the RTPCR test as many of them have undergone the antigen test, which is not accurate.
Currently, there are around 150 students in the men’s hostel and 120 students in the ladies’ hostel. In the next few days, authorities expect around 200 students will be present in the ladies’ hostel and 300 students in the men’s hostel. After this incident, Prof. Venugopal has said that they want to reduce or keep the theory revision classes in a “low profile” manner while conducting practical classes is “unavoidable”.
“We have once again educated them on how to maintain social distancing, wear masks and use sanitisers regularly,” the vice chancellor said.
A final year M.A. student told The Hindu that the university had asked all students to get tested for COVID-19 before they come to the campus. “The two students who tested positive gave their swabs for testing and came to the hostel even before their results were out. Although the duo lived in their own rooms, they came in contact with other students in the common dining area,” a student said.
Following this incident, Prof. Venugopal said that the university would not allow students in the hostels till they produce a COVID-19 negative test report.
The final semester undergraduate examination for Bangalore University students begins on September 12 and postgraduate examination begins on September 28. While the UG students have been attending physical contact classes for revision since September 1, classes for PG students will begin on September 14.
Many students are worried after this incident. Some students have decided not to attend the revision classes.
“I will attend my practical classes and write the examination. I will not attend the revision classes and put my health at risk,” said a final year M.A. student.