Managluru: Health officials express concern over students’ frequent visits to Kerala

Mangaluru, Dec 12: Officials of the health department of Dakshina Kannada district have voiced concern over students from Kerala travelling to their hometowns frequently. 

On several occasions, officials have noticed a failure on part of the students to adhere to the quarantine rules laid down by the district administration. 

Though the inter-state students studying in various medical, paramedical and other colleges in the district have been asked to remain in quarantine for seven days in their rooms, after their return from Kerala, most of them have been found to be roaming around and attending classes.

As many as 20 students, all from Kerala, tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 10 days. Similarly, in the past few months, during the second wave of the pandemic, several students on campus tested positive for Covid-19. In August, 58 cases were reported on a campus in the city, and a majority of them were students from Kerala.

Dr Jagadeesh, district surveillance officer, said that at present two institutions have been declared as containment zones in the district. 

“All the students who tested positive in the two institutions hail from Kerala. We have sent swabs of all these students for RT-PCR tests, and the results of many are still awaited. We have increased surveillance on campuses amidst the Omicron variant scare. There will be no threat of the virus spreading, if all the students returning from Kerala, strictly remain in quarantine for seven days. They are restricted from entering even the dining hall of the hostels during the quarantine period. However, many students do not follow the guidelines. They should undergo the RT-PCR test on the eighth day,” he added.

Dr Ashok H, district nodal officer for Covid-19, said that if an infected student comes on campus, then all his primary contacts may get infected, in case they do not remain in quarantine for a week. “I have sent letters to all medical, paramedical and engineering colleges in the district, directing their managements to insist on seven days’ mandatory quarantine for students from Kerala. Institutions have been told that just checking students’ RT-PCR negative report is not sufficient. They should ensure that all students who return from Kerala remain in quarantine,” he added.