Fourty-three medical students of Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences at Bommakal in Karimnagar district of Telangana have tested positive for COVID-19 forcing the authorities to suspend classes and shutting down the campus.
The college had held its annual day fest over a week ago and that could have been the source of spread of the virus.
This is the third incident of students testing positive in large numbers at any educational institution in Telangana during the last 10 days.
Last week, Mahindra University near Hyderabad was shut down after 25 students and five staff members tested positive for the virus.
Medical Students were voilating COVID-19 rules at annual day fest
Karimnagar district medical and health officer Dr Juveria said the government had not been informed about the intention to conduct a physical gathering of so many people for the annual day event. Many were reportedly not wearing mask during the function.
Telangana’s Health Minister Harish Rao has written to the Center asking them to consider allowing booster doses to healthcare workers, frontline workers and vulnerable groups.
He also asked about the approval of vaccines for children and reducing the gap between two doses of Covishield from the current 12 weeks to between four and six weeks.
Earlier, 29 students of a government-run residential school and junior college for girls in Khammam district had tested positive for the Coronavirus.
The cases were reported at the school and junior college in Wyra town.
The school authorities conducted tests for all 550 students after a couple of students showed suspected symptoms.
Telangana’s director of public health Dr G Srinivas said he expects more cases to occur by mid-January and peak by February, stressing that Omicron is spreads six times faster than delta.