21 Kerala students from private nursing college in Karnataka test COVID-19 positive

Amid several states planning to open schools and colleges, 21 out of 48 students who travelled from Kerala to Karnataka tested positive for COVID-19. The students belonged to a private nursing college in Hassan, who came from Kerala between 17-21 July, reported ANI. The Karnataka Government decided to reopen all Medical, Dental, AYUSH and other allied healthcare educational institutions in July. 

According to the officials, the students are asymptomatic and are undergoing treatment.

Dr Vijay further asserted, 'there are 24 primary contacts of these 21 infected students and all of them had received their first dose of vaccine'. Following the reports, additional tests were conducted among more than 900 students of 9 nursing colleges of Hassan. Of these 900, a total of 100 tested positive, added Dr Vijay, Taluk Health officer, Hassan.

States planning to reopen schools, colleges

At this time, it is pertinent to note that states including Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and now recently Maharashtra decided to reopen schools for classes 5 to 7 from August 17 in rural areas. Schools will be opened only in the areas where COVID infection figures are consistently low, added state Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad. Meanwhile, India, in the latest tally recorded 38,628 fresh COVID-19 cases.

Karnataka reopening colleges

Earlier, in July the state Government had planned to reopen all medical and dental colleges with immediate effect. "It has been decided to allow reopening of all Medical, Dental, AYUSH and other allied healthcare educational institutions in the state with immediate effect," Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar had tweeted. Condition including vaccination was included in the notice.  In an order issued to this effect, Principal Secretary in the Revenue Department N Manjunatha Prasad said the Chairman, State Executive Committee, has permitted the reopening of academic institutions pertaining to the Health and Medical sector with immediate effect.

Karnataka makes COVID negative certificate mandatory for travellers from Kerala, Maharashtra

The Karnataka government had made it mandatory for people travelling from Kerala or Maharashtra to carry a Negative RT-PCR Test report, not more than 72 hours old. The State Government had also ramped up medical facilities after cases in Kerala started increasing rapidly. Chief Minister Bommai had recently added that the state is closely monitoring the situation in Kerala. 

With ANI inputs