After one person tested positive for COVID-19 at Anna University’s ACTECH campus hostel on Wednesday, nine of the 300 students who were subjected to RT-PCR testing, were found positive for the infection. All 763 students on the campus are being tested now, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said.
“The Greater Chennai Corporation has taken up saturation testing for all students of the campus after one student tested positive on Wednesday. A total of 300 students were tested of whom, nine were found to be infected and admitted to the Government Corona Hospital, Guindy. All of them are asymptomatic and are doing well,” he told reporters shortly after inspecting the university campus on Thursday.
The Minister said that some of the students were from other districts such as Kallakurichi and Salem. Their contacts were being traced and travel history was being tracked. The health officers of the respective districts were already instructed, he said.
Following this, all 763 students -- both undergraduates and postgraduates -- on the campus are being tested, he said, adding: “We have advised students to avoid dining at the same time. They should be allowed to dine in batches and maintain physical distancing. We are holding a consultative meeting with all departments, particularly the Departments of School Education and Collegiate Education, to come up with norms to follow in all hostels on Friday. Though there is no need to fear, students, wherever they gather in groups, should wear masks, comply with physical distancing and hand hygiene.”
He added that samples lifted from identified cluster areas -- eight types of places such as markets, commercial complexes, schools, colleges and hostels -- were being continuously sent for genomic analysis.
Screening at airports
A total of 9,012 passengers have arrived from 13 countries at-risk till 8 a.m. on Thursday. All of them were tested and 11 of them were found positive for COVID-19. A total of 33,102 persons have travelled from non-risk countries till 8 a.m this morning. Following random testing of two per cent of them, a total of 1,025 persons were subjected to testing of which two were found infected.
In total so far, 13 travellers have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in hospital isolation, he said. “These samples were sent for genomic analysis to InStem Bengaluru and the results are expected to arrive soon,” he added.
When asked about the accuracy of rapid PCR tests being done at the airports, he said this was approved of by the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research and followed at all international airports. Both RT-PCR tests and rapid PCR tests are being done.
Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said they have intensified fever surveillance. “Through saturation testing, 10 or 20 cases may come up sometimes. There is no need to panic as we can prevent further spread of infections,” he said.
