BENGALURU: In yet another Covid-19 outbreak in an educational institution, 12 students of Spurthy Nursing College in Chandapura, southeast Bengaluru, tested positive. The students are in the Covid Care Centre and doing well, the college said.
This is the second Covid cluster in Bengaluru this week. An international school in Whitefield earlier reported an outbreak, with 33 students and a staffer testing positive.
Karnataka on Friday reported 402 fresh cases, including 224 from Bengaluru. The last time the state reported 400-plus cases was on October 28, when 478 people tested positive.
The infected in the nursing college are all first-year students and from Kerala. They had reported to the college about two weeks ago. Three students showed flulike symptoms with common cold and got tested. Their three roommates tested negative and are under observation.
Nine isolated at CCC
Of the 12 positive students, 11 are fully vaccinated. The 12th student is testing positive for the second time and has not been vaccinated. “Nine students have been isolated as per guidelines at the Covid Care Centre, Jigani,” said Manjunath J, Urban district administrator.
“Two students have gone back to Kerala as they were asymptomatic and one returned to Mumbai on November 25. Information about them has been conveyed to the respective states,” he added.
According to the college management, students had been tested last week as part of random testing and were found negative.
The hostel and premises have been sanitised and health department officials are in touch with students.
“The district surveillance officer, the Anekal taluk health officer and their teams went to the campus and have issued necessary precautionary measures,” Manjunath told TOI.
Rigorous testing, screening for SA, HK passengers
Amid concerns over the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1529, the state government issued a circular on Friday mandating rigorous screening and testing for those coming from and transiting through Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong. The same is applicable to other ‘at risk’ countries.
South Africa reported six cases of B.1.529, Botswana three and Hong Kong 1. The new variant has raised public health complications, reads the circular issued by TK Anil Kumar, principal secretary, health and family welfare department. The government mandated that contacts of these international passengers be tracked and tested. The swab samples of Covid-positive international travellers will be sent for genomic sequencing.
