Chennai: India's premier educational institution, IIT Madras has shut down its academic zone temporarily as COVID cases spike in the institution. Departments, labs, library have been shut down. Faculty, research scholars, students are directed to work from home until further notice. Hosteliers are asked to confine themselves in the hostel, according to sources.
According to reports, last week, 71 COVID cases were reported in the institution, out of which 66 are students, four are staff members working in the mess and one is from resident quarters. The highest number of cases was reported on Sunday with 32 new cases. Tamil Nadu government has directed the administration to test every student on the campus, as per reports.
Reports also said that it was from nine students' hostel and a guest house that COVID cases were reported. Till now, 408 students' samples are collected out of the total 774 student residents in the campus. 22 cases were reported from Krishna hostel while 20 cases were reported from Jamuna, reports said.
As per latest data, Tamil Nadu reported 1,195 new cases of COVID-19 on December 13, taking the tally of total cases to 7,98,888, said the State Health and Family Welfare Department on Sunday. A total of 1,276 patients were discharged on Sunday and with that, the total discharged cases rose to 7,76,878 in the state. The death toll climbed to 11,895 with 12 people succumbing to the infection in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, the active cases stand at 10,115 in the state.
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With inputs from ANI
