COVID-19 cases at IIT Madras rise to 145; Testing continues

4,974 samples have been collected from IIT Madras. Health workers are continuously collecting samples on the campus to contain the virus within IIT. 

COVID-19 Spread in IIT Madras: Another set of 33 people have tested positive at the India Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. The COVID-19 cluster tally on the IIT-M campus rose to 145 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu reported 77 new cases and discharged 34 patients. By the end of the day, there were 447 active cases across the state. Out of the total , 298 are in Chennai.

Chennai records highest number of COVID-19 positive cases

Reports of a maximum number of cases are coming from Chennai (59) followed by Chengalpet (7), Tiruvallur (3) and Coimbatore (2). Five other districts - Dindigul, Kancheepuram, Tuticorin, Vellore and Virudhunagar - reported one new case each. Twenty-nine of the 38 districts reported no new cases. On April 27, 19 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospitals across the state. Out of the total, eight patients are on oxygen. Authorities state that nearly 95% of COVID-19 beds in the state were vacant.

While 22 districts of Madras had between one and six active cases, ten districts were COVID-free.

"The cumulative test positivity rate at IIT is around 2.9%. We will continue to screen all students and staff on campus," said health secretary J Radhakrishnan.

4,974 tested on IIT Madras campus

So far 4,974 people on campus have been tested. Health workers are continuously collecting samples of all residents and staff, officials said. Doctors at IIT-M said the health of all patients was stable. "Most students have been isolated in hostels and quarters on campus. They have mild symptoms such as fever, cough and cold," a doctor attending to them said. Although the number of cases on campus is on the rise, the infection has been contained on campus, said director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam.

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