After several students from schools and colleges tested positive for COVID-19 in Hyderabad recently, around 14 students pursuing their first-year intermediate course at Sri Chaitanya College have tested positive too. Most students who have tested positive are living in the hostels and are largely asymptomatic, barring a few with mild fever. They are under observation, informed officials.

"On Wednesday morning (December 29) we got a call from the students that they are having fever and sore throat. We sent our team and conducted RAT tests (Rapid Antigen Tests) where 14 turned out to be positive," informed Dr K Swarajya Lakshmi, District Medical and Health Officer in Ranga Reddy District.

These 14 students are currently isolated in the hostel and another 20 have been put under observation. "The children are free to go home if the parents give a no-objection letter. We will keep track of them in case they leave," she added.

Meanwhile, there is a larger threat looming as the hostel has a total of 200 students who all use the same dining and toilet areas. "We have ordered a three-day sanitisation drive after which we will take a call on whether to open the campus or not," added Swarajya.