Covid-19: Punjab schools, colleges closed after 100 medical college students test positive

NEW DELHI: At least 100 students of Government Medical College Patiala tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. Following the sudden spike in Covid-19 and Omicron cases in the state, the Punjab government announced to close colleges and schools except for nursing and medical colleges. This comes as Patiala is turning out to be the worst-hit district in Punjab in terms of a rising number of coronavirus cases.

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As per the report, the district administration held an emergency meeting after the students of the medical college tested positive. The officials also asked all students staying at the hostel to vacate their rooms immediately.

A total of 80 people, including doctors, students and support staff, of the Government Rajindra Hospital and Medical College in Punjab's Patiala have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Tuesday.

Patiala reported 143 fresh coronavirus cases, accounting for 34 per cent of the 419 cases in Punjab, with a positivity rate of 23.95 per cent, on Monday. District Epidemiologist Dr Sumeet Singh on Tuesday said 22 resident doctors, 34 medical students, nine faculty members and 15 support and paramedical staff at the Government Rajindra Hospital and Medical College have tested positive for COVID-19.

The officials said directions have been issued to evacuate nearly 1,000 medical students from the hostel after conducting their Covid tests. Those who test positive for the viral disease will be isolated, they added.

Last week, about 93 students of Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, also in Patiala, tested positive for Covid-19.

As per the Covid guidelines, night curfew has also been imposed from 10 pm to 5 am. The education institutions have been told to continue academic activities in virtual mode, according to reports.

In other news, Telangana also shut schools and colleges after the rapid spread of Covid-19. K Chandrasekhar Rao, the chief minister, announced holidays for all educational institutions from January 8 to 16. Meanwhile, 60 persons, including 40 students and researchers residing on IIT Kharagpur's campus have tested positive for Covid-19, an official said Tuesday. Most of those infected are mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic and either at home isolation or at isolation wards created in the engineering institution's hostels, Tamal Nath, IIT Kharagpur's Registrar told PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)