IIT-Madras Becomes a COVID Cluster Again, 30 Students Test Positive in 2 Days

The Greater Chennai Corporation has ordered the testing of all students and teachers of the institution.

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

(Photo: PTI)

With 18 more students testing positive for COVID-19, the numbers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have gone up to 30 cases in the past three days, officials told NDTV on Friday, 22 April.

Testing of all the students and faculty was implemented, as ordered by the Greater Chennai Corporation.

With this, Tamil Nadu's caseload was pushed to 34,53,390 on Thursday.

The state's Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan also visited the college campus on Thursday.

Radhakrishnan told IANS, "All the students who tested COVID-19 positive are now lodged in the IIT hostel at Taramani."

In December 2020, more than 183 students and staffers had tested positive at IIT-Madras, making it a large COVID cluster. Lack of social distancing, sharing food in a mess were reported to be the primary reasons for the spread of the infection.

3,000 Residents To Be Tested

"The doctors at Guindy hospital have said that the students have a mild infection and they don't need to be hospitalised as of now," Radhakrishnan continued.

A student was reportedly infected after incurring a cold, fever and headache on 19 April, with two more students testing positive the following day.

The IIT Madras authorities informed IANS that nine out of 18 samples of the close contacts of infected students had contracted the infection.

The Health Secretary added that 3,000 residents as well as their contacts will be tested as some infected students had attended workshops and symposiums in the vicinity of other students.

He advised the staff and the students to follow proper COVID norms.