The general tendency among students not to observe COVID-19-appropriate behaviour is among the chief reasons for the surge in cases at Manipal Institute of Technology, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education K. Sudhakar said in Manipal on Tuesday.
“It is a great relief that most of the students, like the rest in the State, are asymptomatic,” he told presspersons after visiting the campus and reviewing the situation in Udupi district. The students should understand that those who tested positive are potential carriers of COVID-19 and should not come in contact with senior citizens and other vulnerable people. They should remain in isolation for 14 days, he stressed.
As many as 8,000 students and nearly 3,000 staff and support staff were on campus. Such a large number was also a cause for the surge in positive cases in MIT since March 15.
As many as 900 students have tested positive so far on campus. “It is a relief to find that only a few have mild symptoms,” he said. The State government is working to lessen the mortality rate in the State. “Lesser the number of deaths, the more effective we will be in our combat against COVID-19,” he said.
While appreciating steps taken by Udupi district administration, the MIT and Manipal Academy of Higher Education in preventing the spread of COVID-19, the Minister said the district administration will be asked to be more tough in the enforcement of COVID-19 protocol in public places.
