IIT Madras COVID-19 cases rise to 191; neighbouring Anna University reports 6 infections

Students at the neighbouring Anna University were also tested after two persons complained of fever. Although the two who complained of fever tested coronavirus negative, six of the 550 students who were tested turned out to be COVID-19 positive.

Moneycontrol News

December 16, 2020 / 05:17 PM IST

Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Eight more students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, tested positive for the novel coronavirus on December 16, taking the total COVID-19 tally on campus to 191, reported NDTV.

IIT Madras started reporting sporadic cases of COVID-19 infection earlier this month and within two weeks it turned into a coronavirus hotspot.

As many as 104 new COVID-19 infections were reported on December 14, followed by 79 fresh cases on December 15. Taking cognizance of the alarming rate at which the contagion is spreading, the state health department stepped in to help control the situation.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has so far tested nearly 1,000 samples collected from the IIT-M campus, of which 770 were of students.

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Meanwhile, students at the neighbouring Anna University were also tested after two persons complained of fever. Although the two who complained of fever tested coronavirus negative, six of the 550 students who were tested turned out to be COVID-19 positive.

To ensure there is no repeat of what happened at IIT Madras, the Tamil Nadu government has started aggressive testing at all colleges and universities in the state, prioritising those that have hostels.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

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A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

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