BENGALURU : In one of the biggest cluster formations this year, 34 students tested Covid-positive from August 27 to September 1, at Christian College of Nursing in Horamavu. Of the 34 students, 23 are from Kerala and 11 from West Bengal. Of the 12 boys and 22 girls, 16 were shifted to the HAL Covid Care Centre, and 18 others to Zinc Hotel CCC in Ward No. 82.
The first cases were reported on August 27, when four people showed symptoms. A RAT test was done on August 28, and five students were found to be positive. An RT-PCR test was done and five more reported positive. On August 28, 10 more students tested positive, and on August 29, 12 more tested positive. On August 30, samples of all those who tested positive were sent for genome sequencing. Of the 580 samples collected, 480 students stay in hostels and 100 stay outside.
The test reports on September 1 showed that 14 more were infected. The next round of testing, including those who tested positive, will be done on September 5, said Surendra R, BBMP health officer, Mahadevapura zone.
“The cases started coming in gradually over the past five days, and the area was included in the containment zone and clusters list. It is now being reported as the biggest cluster this year. Though the students carried negative test reports, we don’t know if they are genuine or not, because of rising cases in Kerala and their rush to return to college,” said an official.
BBMP officials declared a buffer zone of 100 metres around the college, which comprises residential homes and apartment complexes, and every one in Horamavu is being tested. A close watch is being kept on the residents, all of whom have tested negative so far. The 34 students who tested positive had 528 primary contacts and 208 secondary contacts, apart from their room mates and family.
D Randeep, Special Commissioner, Health, BBMP, said all those who came into the state carried a negative test report, and only the first few cases came in without reports as the order to carry a negative report is recent. So far, there is no linguistic break-up of those who tested positive.