Bihar hostel shuts after 7 students test positive

Patna | Seven students tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday at the Rajendra Agriculture University Pusa in Samastipur district. Following the development, the vice chancellor of the university shut the hostel premises and and initiated rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests.

The cases of Covid-19 have been rising in Bihar with health department registering 1,487 cases in last 10 days, of which over 600 were in last three days, an official said.

“We have started contact tracing of students. Accordingly 100 students are undergoing Corona test every day. We have also formed a isolation center in the premises,” said Ramesh Chandra Srivastava, the VC.

“All Corona positive patients are admitted there. I appeal the the parents of students to not to panic. We are providing best medical facilities. The situation is under control,” Srivastava said.

The health department suspects that the figures rose due to large number of migrant labourers returning home from Maharastra, Delhi and NCR cities, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala for Holi.

“The administrative officers from block to district level have been alerted. They were asked to keep testing visitors at bus stand, railway stations, hospitals, primary health centres, blocks etc. The officers have been also directed to strongly take action against violators not following social distancing norms and wearing masks at common and market places,” said Mangal Pandey, Bihar Health Minister.

“The situation in Bihar, compared to other state is not bad. We are keeping close watch on the development but the situation has not reached that stage where we should impose a lockdown. As per the guidelines of Union Ministry of Health, it has allowed us to take decision according to the situation,” Pandey said.

“In the build-up to and following Holi, we have initiated special drive on the direction CM Nitish Kumar to conduct test at airports, railway stations, bus stands etc. We have conducted 65,104 Rapid antigen test on March 28; 70,062 on March 29 and 29,224 in the last 24 hours,” Pandey said.

IANS

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