BITS Pilani Goa emerges as a COVID-19 hotspot; 6 new cases takes the tally to 30

After recording a steady decline for a period of more than a week, Goa registered a cluster of positive cases in one of India’s esteemed institutes, BITS Pilani, which has emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot after registering 30 cases. Six out of them were recently tracked by the officials with the help of contact tracing. Along with the cancellation of all upcoming events, and assembly of people inside the campus, the institute has also moved its classes online in an attempt to contain the spread.

Goa goes into alert mode

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After a cluster of COVID-19 students was found, the institute started conducting contact tracing resulting in the discovery of 6 new COVID-19 positive students. As of Friday evening, the number of students infected with the virus stood at 30. Reportedly, most of the students who have tested positive for the virus are asymptomatic.

Talking about the precautions being taken at the university Harlarnkar said that the BITS Pilani campus currently boasts of over 2,800 students, all of which, along with the faculty and staff at the university are being scanned thermally before they enter campus.

COVID-19 protocol back in action

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After the unforeseen discovery of the cluster of COVID-19 infection at BITS Pilani, the South Goa District Administration has ordered COVID-19 testing of all the students and teachers on the BITS Pilani campus and to take every precautionary measure as laid down in the COVID-19 protocol.

According to the order, "No person or transport should be allowed in the campus without checking for COVID-19 symptoms, movement of persons should be allowed only for emergency services, all persons should wear face masks at all times. Physical distance of two meters shall be maintained between two persons, classes should be conducted online for next 15 days, no gatherings should be allowed in the campus and necessary arrangements should be made of food, diet etc of the positive people,"

The institute has gone under complete lockdown, classes have been shifted to online mode and authorities and health officials continue with the measures to contain the spread. After the first contact tracing drive, 6 new cases surfaced, and more such drives are to be conducted in an attempt to reduce risk.