Four COVID-19 suspects roamed ‘free’ in UP university for days

NATIONAL | MARCH 19, 2020:

For over seven days four suspected cases of COVID-19 roamed carefree in one of Uttar Pradesh’s largest private dental institute, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, while the administration slept.

However, on Thursday panic ran riot through the campus as these four people started showing symptoms of the infection and had to be taken away in an ambulance.
According to the doctor who treated these suspected cases in the campus, these students had not shown any symptoms for about seven days, but on Thursday, symptoms like cold, cough and fever started to show up.

Speaking to IANS, faculty and students of the institute who requested anonymity, said these four suspected cases were part of an eight member team who had returned from Kerala after a 10-day visit from March 2 to 12.

“These members had flown to Cochin for an international dental conference, but were never tested on their return,” a student told IANS.

The university administration confirmed the same.

“They are not suspected cases, they have just shown symptoms of the infection, and whether they are infected or not will be decided only after the district hospital’s report,” the doctor added.

The Additional Chief Medical Officer of Moradabad district, B.K. Premi said the district administration has received the news and doing the needful.

“Have received information and now will do the needful,” Premi said.

However, ever since the case emerged, the university has sprung into action as they took record of every person who came into contact of these students during these days.