Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras has been hit by coronavirus outbreak.104 people, mostly students, have tested positive for COVID-19, PTI reported quoting Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan.

Of the 444 samples tested from December 1 to 12, 104 came out positive, Radhakrishnan said. 

“All of them are being treated at the King’s Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research as per the directive of Chief Minister K Palaniswami and they are all doing well,” the Health Secretary said.

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A spokesperson for the institute said all departments and labs have been shut and as of now only about 700 students, mostly research scholars were accommodated in nine hostels.

“Classes are being held online,” she said.

Radhakrishnan said though the results showed a 20 per cent positivity rate, there was no need for concern as measures including aggressive contact testing are in place as per the protocol.

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He told PTI that he was now visiting the IIT-M campus for inspection and those being treated at the hospital.

Health officials have also inspected the campus, he said.

“As soon as we started getting cases, we went in for aggressive testing and contact tracing. A majority of them are students and some canteen workers.” On the source of infection, he said “it is said that it could be from the mess,” but there was nothing to panic about further spread since all measures were in place to combat it, he said.