IIT Madras campus under temporary lockdown after over 70 people test positive for COVID

Sixty-six students from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras have tested positive for the novel coronavirus from December 1 till Sunday.

According to a statement from IIT Madras, the technical institute has been functioning on limited capacity with only 100 per cent of students in the hostels. As soon as a spurt in symptomatic cases was reported by some students residing in the hostels, the institute consulted the civic authorities and arranged for all students residing in hostels to be tested for coronavirus.

All students have been asked to remain in their hostel rooms while packed food is being supplied to them.

IIT Madras has been permitting research scholars who need to do experimental work to return to campus in a cautious manner — with a 14-day quarantine and testing of each returnee, the statement said.

“Our capacity to quarantine (with room service) is limited, and this limits the rate at which we can bring back scholars to the hostels,” the institute said.