HUBBALLI: In a major COVID-19 outbreak at the SDM Medical College near Dharwad, 66 students and a few staff tested positive on Thursday. The district administration has declared the hostel of the college as a containment zone.
Most of the students have mild symptoms and they are being treated at their hostel in the college premises near Sattur. All the infected students have been shifted to a block in the hostel and those who are waiting for the results have been shifted to another block. The entire hostel has been sealed and the area declared as a containment zone. Dharwad district health officials have been deployed to watch the situation and policemen are also deployed to prevent any entry or exit to the hostel and sealed area.
Dharwad deputy commissioner Nitesh Patil said a total of 270 students have been tested for the infection, of whom 66 tested positive till Thursday morning. Tests of other students and staff will be done on Thursday. Measures will be taken to test all medical staff of the medical college and hospital.
It is said the college recently organised a freshers party to welcome first-year MBBS students and the infection might have spread subsequently. Students from other states are also studying in the medical college and it is not yet clear how the infection spread to a large number of students.
Patil said disinfection, sanitation, providing food to the infected patients and quarantined students and other measures have been taken. “I will also visit the college to inspect the measures taken to prevent the spread,” he said.
The college administration said all students have been vaccinated, though the district health department will cross-check it on Thursday.