The COVID-19 outbreak continued on Sunday as the total positive cases at AU Engineering College went up to 110, including 97 students. Some teaching and non teaching staff also tested positive. The entire engineering college campus is barricaded and declared as a containment zone.
As many as 1700 students and staff were tested since the first case was reported after a student from Vijayawada tested positive. Among the 40-odd new infections was a girl student. Speaking to TNIE, Andhra Medical College principal PV Sudhakar said most of the students did not follow covid appropriate behaviour and moved at their will leading to the spread of the virus among many students. "Since segregation of contact cases was not possible, all students who tested negative are quarantined. They will be under observation for a week and if they test negative in the second test they will be discharged,'' he said.
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Sudhakar said five hostels were converted as quarantine centres and three hostels into isolation blocks for male students. For girl students, three hostels were earmarked as quarantine blocks and one hostel as isolation block. Much to the relief of the authorities, till now, no case of the second variant of Covid-19 was found among fresh cases in AU as well as in the district. "We are sending five percent of tests to CCMB daily for further confirmation. But there were no reports of new strains,'' he said. All the students and staff are in a stable condition and their condition is being monitored round-the-clock by doctors teams. He said the average positivity rate was only around 1.5 percent.
The Minister for Tourism Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao along with officials inspected the hostels where quarantine centres are located. Stating that all the students are in stable condition. he allayed fears of the parents of the wards. "A total of 550 beds in super speciality blocks and 650 beds at VIMS were kept ready in case of necessity. All the students were given medicine kits. Necessary steps were taken to ensure quality food to students. Ambulances were stationed at isolation centres in case to shift the students to hospital,'' he said.