Fourth wave scare: Goa's BITS Pilani becomes Covid hotspot after 24 test positive

New Delhi: Amid the fourth Covid-19 wave threat in India, 24 students in Goa’s BITS PILANI tested positive for the coronavirus over the last few days compelling the institute to resume online classes, the institute`s public relations officer Arjun Halarnkar said on Friday.

This comes as Covid cases in neighbouring countries like China, Taiwan and others continue to rise at a rapid rate triggering a fresh unseen wave.

However, the Covid-19 situation in India seems to be under control with only 1,260 new cases recorded on Saturday.

Meanwhile, in Goa, BITS PILANI’s official also said that eight more samples have been sent for testing on Friday.

"Our campus response team had decided this after 24 positive cases. Eight more samples were sent for testing. Reports are awaited. We had already decided to continue our classes online and cancel events and gatherings which were scheduled to be held here," Halarnkar said.

The campus that accommodates around 2,800 students has turned a new Covid hotspot amid fourth wave scare. The college official said that all students, faculty and staff at the university are being scanned thermally before they enter campus.

"It started two to three days ago, that is when we started to test the students according to our protocol and yesterday the number reached 24. Strike rate is not high compared to students on campus," Halarnkar said.

"Health authorities are already on the campus and primacy contacts and secondary contacts are being tested," he added.

Meanwhile, the South Goa district administration has already issued guidelines to be implemented at the educational campus which include a mandatory screening of the inmates, setting up of quarantine facilities, mandatory cancellation of offline classes and other events.

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