Another 33 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 on the campus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras). With this, a total of 104 persons — 87 students, 16 mess employees and a resident — have tested positive for the infection, even as the Health Department and the Greater Chennai Corporation are in the process of lifting 300-odd samples.
Sources in the Health Department said preliminary investigation into the possible source of infection pointed to the common mess that was closed down two days ago after a number of cases were reported. However, this being a pandemic, the department was not ruling out the possibility of transmission caused by the movement of people and meeting at common places. The lack of maintaining physical distancing in the mess could be one of the reasons.
Pointing to the need to maintain physical distancing in places of dining, an official said that similar clusters had occurred in a textile showroom in Tiruchi and in a few marriages and funerals.
Official’s inspection
The institute came under containment following a spike in COVID-19 cases in the last few days. After reporting sporadic cases since December 1, the institute witnessed a rise in the number of cases from December 11 following which the departments, centres, and the library were shut.
Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan met the students who were undergoing treatment at the Government COVID-19 Hospital, Guindy, and inspected the college and hostels on IIT Madras campus on Monday.
“After the spike in cases, we, in addition to contacts and those with symptoms, have gone for saturation tests. So far, out of the 449 persons tested, 104 are positive for COVID-19. All are in the mild category with two among nine hostels having more cases,” he said.
He added that the X-ray and CT scan of all patients were taken. So far, all are mild and stable but under close monitoring, he said.
“The Health department is repeatedly focussing on three Cs — closed spaces, crowded spaces, and contacts. The Directorate of Public Health and City Health authority is studying the cause of this cluster. We are lifting 300-odd samples more and are likely to complete lifting of samples by Tuesday,” he said. He added that the numbers are likely to rise. “This is the best strategy. We need to isolate and treat positive persons so that the infection does not spread,” he said.
The Health Secretary was accompanied by Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director of IIT Madras.
