UDUPI: Close on the heels of Udupi DC G Jagadish declaring the MIT Manipal campus a 'containment zone' on Wednesday, health department officials were on Thursday instructed to conduct COVID tests for about 5,000 students who are staying in the hostels located on the premises. As the students who have already tested positive for COVID-19 have been suggested to be in home isolation, the remaining students now have to undergo swab tests, DC said.
In a video message on Thursday, the DC said that COVID-19 cases were on the rise in Udupi since the beginning of March. To contain the spread of the disease, stringent measures are inevitable, he said. COVID-19 cases that had reduced in the district have again reared their head with the onset of summer. What is bothering health department officials is that more positive cases were reported from MAHE, Manipal campus in the last few days.
Out of 33 COVID-19 positive cases reported in Udupi district on Tuesday, 27 of them were from MIT, Manipal and MAHE campus. Out of 42 COVID-19 positive cases reported in the district on Wednesday, 26 were students from MIT, Manipal. So the MIT, Manipal campus was declared a ‘containment zone’ by the DC on Wednesday.
The DC told The New Indian Express that he has already received an assurance from the MIT, Manipal Director Dr D Srikanth Rao that all cooperation will be extended by the institute in containing the spread of COVID-19. MAHE Registrar Dr Narayana Sabhahit said that soon after the MIT, Manipal campus was declared a ‘containment zone’ on Wednesday, a decision was taken to hold online classes only and practical sessions in labs were postponed. Examinations have also been postponed, he said.