IIT Madras turns COVID Hotspot with 70 infections, Overcrowding in Mess may have led to the Spike, say Reports

IIT Madras turns COVID Hotspot: In a major setback to the reopening of educational institutions across the country, IIT Madras – India’s premier technology school, has turned into a major COVID-19 hotspot with over 70 infections being detected from the institute. So far, since 1^st December 2020, a total of 71 COVID positive cases have been identified from the institute’s campus. Media reports also confirmed that at the time of filing of this story, a total of 774 students, mostly research scholars were present on campus, of which 66 have tested positive for infection. A major number of the students who have tested positive reside in two hostels on campus i.e. Krishna and Jamuna.

Campus Closed Down

After the institute was identified as a Coronavirus hotspot in the city, the institute has closed down all departments, centers, and the library. Of the total number of 70 COVID infections reported from IIT Madras, 66 are students and rest are mess workers who operate on campus, as per media reports. Following the closure of the institute, faculty, staff, project staff, and research scholars will have to work from home till any other information is conveyed to them. Students who reside on campus have been ordered to o be confined to their rooms with arrangements made to deliver packaged food to their rooms.

Reason Behind the Recent Spike

As per reports, the recent spike in the number of Coronavirus infections on IIT Madras campus may have been the result of overcrowding of students in the mess areas. In fact, many students have complained that the institute had decided to run only one mess after the reopening of campus. In fact, many research scholars who returned back to campus reported that in the mess, wearing of masks is no feasible and with just one mess being operational on campus; here was obvious overcrowding there during lunch and dinner hours.