The Health departmnet officials said the new Cluster of Covid-19 cases in IIT-Madras in Chennai has increased by 79, thus taking the total number of cases to 183. They asked the public to consider this covid cluster as a lesson and to not let their guard down against the pandemic. Suspecting the single common dining area that possibly led to the rapid spread of infection on campus, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said that people must follow mask-wearing irrespective of whether they were in a family function or in a public event or group discussion.
The Education Department had instructed the college authorities to provide take-away food service or to deliver food in the hostel rooms, was remembered by the Health Secretary. As per the secretary report, the infected staff and students of IIT are stable and are being continually monitored, provided quality treatment. Urging the educational institutions to pay heed to the health Department’s caution, he said that fines would be imposed on violators under the Public health Act and Epidemics Act.
IIT people who were inside the campus told a media agency that the most likely cause of the spread of Covid-19 was the common dining area that was shared by over 700 students. The recent cluster emerged when the institute is functioning with 10 per cent capacity. Hostel students said food were being served to the room, lesser number of students share washrooms, dayscholars were visiting the campus in few numbers and interacts with the hostelites. Though institute denies students to visit outside few go outside and brings the infection.
IIT-Madras has temporarily shut, due to corona Spurt
