Kerala: Dharwad district situated in Kerala has recorded zero covid cases a few days ago. But now it has suffered a jolt after 66 medical students tested Covid positive. On 25th November the administration of the Dharwad district has sealed the two hostels of SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospitals.
The majority of the students are from the first year tested positive. The district administration declared the hostel as a containment zone. A team containing the health officials and personnel is now deployed on this medical college campus.
On 25th November Nitesh Patil, the Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad district has visited the college campus. He has done a meeting with the college authorities and staff. During the meeting, he sought details about the precautions taken by the college authorities.
At the media conference District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr. Yashwanth Madinkar, District Surveillance Officer Dr. Sujata Hasavimath, and College principal Dr. Ratnamala Desai were present.
After doing the meeting and visiting the campus Deputy Commissioner said to the media persons that two students’ hostels had been sealed. And the remaining faculty members and students are directed to do an RT-PCR test immediately.
All the positive students were attained in a students’ program on 17 November at D. Veerendra Heggade Kalakshetra located on the college campus.
Mr. Patil said that all the students who are affected in Covid are had received both 1st and 2nd doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. He added though many students are asymptomatic some have mild symptoms. Besides the health condition of the positive students are stable. But all of them will be quarantined for fourteen days.
Commissioner added, “All the primary contacts are being tested. Of the 400 students in the college, so far, 300 students have been tested, of which 66 have tested positive. The results of the tests on the remaining 100 students will be known on November 26.”
The infected students are moved to a block of the hostel and the others who are waiting for the result have been already shifted to another block and the area is now closed as a containment zone.
All the positive students were hostel inmates. It increases the huge chance of spreading infection on the campus. So the college authority is trying to get a trace of the primary and secondary contacts.