Mangaluru: As many as 338 students from Kerala tested positive for Covid-19 in Dakshina Kannada (DK) from January till March 14 this year. The positivity rate of the Kerala students in DK is 6% to 8% while the total positivity rate in Dakshina Kannada district is 1.18 % in March.

With the reopening of colleges, students from Kerala have been attending colleges in the district since December.  According to the available statistics, a total of 111 students were confirmed with Covid in January, 160 students in February and 67 students till March 14. Even after March 14, many students from Kerala are testing positive for the virus.

January

Since January, more than five colleges in the district have been declared as containment zones. Many hostels too were sealed down following the reporting of more than five Covid-19 cases. The Covid-19 positivity rate of DK in January was 1.02 % while that of the Kerala students was 8.46%. Of 111 positive cases among Kerala students, Mangaluru had major share of 108 cases while Sullia had 3 cases. In January, swabs of 1,311 students were tested for the virus.

February

The positivity rate in the district in February was 1.14% while that of the Kerala students was 7.10%. Out of 160 cases, 157 were from Mangaluru and three were from Sullia. A total of 2,252 students’ swabs were tested in February.

In March (till March 14), the positivity rate in the district is 1.18% while that of the Kerala students is 3.82 %. A total of 1,752 students’ swabs were tested. Out of 67 positive cases, 61 are from Mangaluru, five from Bantwal and one from Sullia.

The positivity rate by March-end will shoot up, as Covid cases have been increasing in the district. The district administration’s strict Covid-19 guidelines was not being strictly adhered to, vouched many. Though 60 students had tested positive for Covid in a college recently, the management had sent all 800 students to their houses. “This in turn will cause the spread of Covid-19 cases,” sources said.

DK district Nodal officer Dr Ashok said if positive cases were reported in educational institutions, the team from health department immediately initiates steps to check the spread of the virus. If more cases are reported, then containment zone will be declared. RT-PCR tests of the Kerala students are conducted regularly, he added.