66 medical students test Covid-19 positive in Dharwad
Dharwad, Nov 25: Two hostels of SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital here have been sealed, with 66 medical students studying there having tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Thursday.
About 300 out of the total 400 students studying in the medical college have undergone COVID tests so far.
According to officials, a students' event almost a week ago might have resulted in the spread, as they advised people to avoid attending programmes like marriage, functions, and cultural gatherings.
"....so far 66 students have tested positive. 300 students have been tested so far and the remaining 100 are also undergoing tests. By evening their results are also likely. Also, there are about 3,000 staff members, who will be tested. Those testing positive will be quarantined and given treatment," Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil said.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the campus with officials, he said two hostels have been sealed and necessary food, medicines and other essential things are being provided there.
"Those who have tested positive will not be allowed to come out and those who are awaiting test results are also quarantined, so precautionary measures have been taken to avoid any further spread," he said, adding that everyone in the campus will be tested.
Officials said all students of the college have received two doses of COVID vaccine. As all the staff fall under health care workers category, they would have been completely vaccinated. However, the records are being verified.
Noting that the infection so far is only among the students, the Deputy Commissioner said the authorities are aiming to curb it and see to it that it doesn't spread.
In response to a question as to what might have caused the spread, he said almost a week ago there was some students' event and those who are now positive had attended it. "All those students who attended the event have been tested, also their primary and secondary contacts are being tested."
"So we advise people to avoid events such as marriages and cultural events, or follow precautions such as use of masks, sanitisers, and maintaining distance among others if attending such events are unavoidable," Patil added.
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Train to Kashmir: 22-bogie train's trial run successful on Katra-Srinagar line
Jammu: A 22-bogie train chugged between Katra and Srinagar railway stations on Sunday, officials said, marking the first successful trial run on the newly completed line to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country via rail.
The train, comprising 18 AC coaches, two luggage carriers and two engines, left the Katra railway station at around 8 am, successfully reaching its destination within four hours under the watchful eyes of the railway authorities, the officials said.
This was the first trial run between Katra and Srinagar, and came within six days after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Northern Circle) Dinesh Chand Deshwal authorised the opening of the newly constructed Broad Gauge line.
He had given the authorisation for the start of public carriage of goods and passenger traffic in a seven-page letter to the ministry and railway authorities, based on his detailed inspection of the track on January 7 and 8.
The CRS referred to his inspection of the newly constructed BG line between the Katra and Reasi section by a motor trolley and on foot, followed by a speed trial on the entire section from Katra to Banihal.
He had then authorised regular opening of the section for passengers and freight traffic at a maximum permissible speed of 85 Kmph on the main line and 15 Kmph on turnout.
The work on the dream project to link Kashmir by train was started in 1997 and it missed several deadlines given geological, topographical and meteorological challenges.
Out of the total 272 km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, 209 km was commissioned in phases with the first phase of the 118 km Qazigund-Baramulla section commissioned in October 2009, followed by 18 km Banihal-Qazigund in June 2013, 25 km Udhampur-Katra in July 2014 and 48.1 km long Banihal-Sangaldan stretch in February, last year.
The work on the 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section was also completed in June last year, leaving a total of 17 km stretch between Reasi and Katra. And this section was finally completed in December 2024 as announced by the Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
On January 4, a successful trial run of an electric train was successfully conducted on the Katra-Banihal section. The railways has conducted six trials over the past month on various segments of the track, including the two major milestones of the Anji Khad and Chenab bridges.
Katra-Srinagar Rail Link: First 18-Coach Train Completes Trial Run Successfully pic.twitter.com/p68axcUClX
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