79 more test positive for Covid-19 at IIT Madras campus

CHENNAI: Another 79, most of them students, from IIT Madras have tested positive for Covid-19  on Tuesday, taking the total number of those infected in the cluster from December 1 to 183.

Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said that on Monday alone, 539 people were tested for Covid and of that 79 had tested positive.

"We have totally tested 978 students in IIT and in that, 25 results are awaited. Out of the 953 results that have arrived, 183 tested positive,” said Radhakrishnan.

He said that the positivity rate in IIT cluster has reduced to 15 percent. "Through the education secretary, we have directed all the colleges to follow safety precautions. College benches must have social distancing markings," he said.

Radhakrishnan warned of strict action against educational institutions that do not follow Covid safety precautions.

"The CM has given instructions to ensure educational institutes do not turn into clusters. People must wear masks compulsorily," he added.

The Health Secretary said that educational institutions must ensure distancing is followed especially in places where there are common dining areas.

"The positivity rate in Tamil Nadu is just around two percent and people must ensure that instances like the one seen at IIT do not repeat anywhere else," he said.

Radhakrishnan on Tuesday also inaugurated five RTPCR machines at the Communicable Disease Hospital in Tondiarpet.

The machines were donated by the Rotary Clubs in Chennai Coastal and Meenambakkam. Radhakrishnan said that the machines can process up to 2000 samples a day.

The inauguration came on a day, when for the first time in several months, the active Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu dropped below 10,000. The state reported 1,132 new Covid-19 cases and 10 more deaths were recorded on Tuesday.

With 1210 people being discharged, the active cases in the State is now at 9,951. 7,79,291 people have been discharged in all.

The total cases till date stands at 8,01,161 while the death toll stands at 11,919.

With 65,810 RTPCR tests, the total tests done across the 232 testing Centres in the State is now at 1,27,89,482.