Dharwad: 116 more test positive

By Vittal Shastri

Hubballi: As many as 116 more students tested positive for the Corona virus in SDM Medical College of Dharwad on Friday, causing panic among people in Hubballi-Dharwad twin cities.

The total number of Covid cases has increased to 182 with 66 cases detected in the college on Thursday. The rising number of positive cases has prompted the district administration to adopt strict measures to contain the virus. The deputy commissioner Nitesh Patil has declared a holiday for schools and colleges situated in a 500 metre radius of the medical college. Restrictions have also been imposed to prevent relatives and the public from visiting the hospital.

Addressing media persons, Patil said that more than 1000 people have been tested by collecting their swabs in the SDM campus. There are more than 3,500 students and staff in the college and hospital and more teams have been brought from Hubballi to collect the swabs. The test reports will be obtained by sending the swabs to laboratories of Dharwad Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (DIMHANS), Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubballi apart from SDM labs.

“The medical and paramedical students, who are studying in the college, have come from various parts of the country. We have not found symptoms of any serious disease among the students as they have already been administered the second dose of the vaccine. We have taken care of the health issues of every student by keeping them under quarantine”, Patil said. He has ordered closure of the outpatient department (OPD) at SDM hospital till test results of all the staff are available as many of them are yet to undergo tests for the virus.

Hundreds of student had attended a programme on November 17 at Dr Veerendra Heggade auditorium situated in the college campus. A marriage ceremony was held on November 19 and another function was conducted on November 25. The district administration has advised all those, who had participated in these programmes, to undergo the Corona test.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences has permitted entry of only patients and public who have taken two doses of the vaccine.