Daijiworld Media Network - Manglauru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 26: Dakshina Kannada has been finding itself in the second or third place in the list of districts registering the highest coronavirus cases in the state every day. District health department experts have found out that the students coming to the city from Kerala for studies have been mainly contributing to this situation.

The city boasts of over 30 paramedical colleges and over 90 per cent of students in these colleges are from Kerala. There are seven medical colleges, and here too a sizeable portion is formed of Keralites.

Representative image

Coronavirus cases that had remained high in the district till September and October had registered a downward trend from November last year. Thereafter, paramedical colleges started functioning and they had an intake of a large number of students from Kerala. As a result, by December, coronavirus infection was noticed in some colleges. This situation remained as it is. As of now, at least five colleges have become containment zones.

Actually, the students, principals and teaching staff of paramedical colleges need not be told or taught about the coronavirus situation. They are expected to be aware of everything about coronavirus. District coronavirus officer, Dr Ashok, laments the fact that these institutions have shown irresponsibility and negligent attitude. Even after some students in hostels tested positive, they were not separated from the rest. They were allowed to freely mingle with other students. After some tested positive, many others were tested but were sent home before their results came. These are deemed to be incidents that can be said to be the epitome of recklessness.

Another trick students coming from Kerala own is to get a rapid antigen test (RAT) instead of the normal RT-PCR tests. 80 per cent of students get RT-PCR tests and the balance get RAT tests. Several of the RAT reports cannot be relied on as in many cases, even though the person tests negative, in fact, they might be having virus without showing any symptoms of the disease, experts say.

The district health department, after noticing that coronavirus cases are more where there is a concentration of Kerala students, has been sending local students coming into primary contact with them to seven days of compulsory isolation. Thereafter, they are tested, and only after getting the negative report, they are allowed to attend college. A nodal officer for each set of 10 colleges has been formed with a team to assist him. Tests are performed in all the colleges including PU and first-grade colleges.

Dr Ashok stated that the department has formed teams and instructed them to visit the colleges. He said that the principals and hostel wardens have also been advised to be vigilant.