IIT-Madras turns Covid hotspot with 71 infections

Chennai, Dec 14: IIT Madras has temporarily shut down after a major outbreak of coronavirus inside India's premier educational institution. At least, 71 Covid cases were reported in the last two weeks, of which 66 are students, four mess staff and one from resident quarters.

According to a report, the first two cases were diagnosed on December 1 and by December 10, 14 more persons tested positive for the virus. The institute added 55 more cases in the last three days and has been declared a COVID hotspot.

The premier educational institution, in a statement, said hostels had only 10 per cent of the usual residents and all were tested after a few reported positive.

Students still in hostels are being supplied packed food, said IIT.

"An SoP is in place to determine how many scholars and project staff can work safely in each lab based on its size, ventilation etc. Research scholars who wished to return earlier were permitted to do so if they were willing to stay off campus similar to project staff, till their turn came to be accepted in the hostels, and provided their lab could accommodate them," it said.

A total of 774 students are currently residing on the campus, of which samples were collected from 408 students as on date. Krishna hostel reported the maximum Covid cases of 22 followed by 20 cases from Jamuna.