Eighteen people, including students, staff and faculty of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu have been tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The detection of these cases came after an RT-PCR test was conducted on 300 people.
Issuing an official statement on Twitter, IIT Jammu said, “However, everyone is under quarantine as per protocol and reports of mild to no symptoms while being constantly monitored and supported by the medical unit.”
The campus is currently under sanitisation, IIT Jammu said and Covid-19 tests are being conducted periodically.
The majority of the institute's students had left campus for the semester break in December last year. “IIT Jammu will conduct online classes and the staff and faculty members will continue to work from home until further instruction,” the statement also said, adding the entire institute is vaccinated against Covid-19.
This Covid-19 outbreak in IIT Jammu comes 10 days after reports came in on January 2 that 13 students of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir tested positive for the virus. The university was immediately closed and the number of infections has surged to 187 including 140 students.
{{/usCountry}}This Covid-19 outbreak in IIT Jammu comes 10 days after reports came in on January 2 that 13 students of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir tested positive for the virus. The university was immediately closed and the number of infections has surged to 187 including 140 students.
{{/usCountry}}The university's exams, which were supposed to start from January 3, have been postponed until further orders.
The daily Covid-19 tally in Jammu and Kashmir continued an upward trend after 1,695 cases were recorded on Wednesday, the highest single-day spike in more than seven months. Wednesday's count is 47% more than Tuesday's when 1,148 people were found infected with Covid-19.
More than 4,500 patients have died and 337,412 have recuperated so far. The active cases in the Union Territory stand at 6,242.
The J-K administration has imposed a night curfew from 9 pm to 6 am, restricting the non-essential movement of people. The administration has also ordered online classes up to college-level amid the spike in daily cases.
“There shall be no in-person teaching. Educational institutions shall be permitted to direct attendance of vaccinated staff for administrative purposes only,” an order issued on January 9 said.