Around 141 students at IIT Madras, six at Anna University tested Covid-19 positive, the Tamil Nadu government has intensified Covid testing on campuses and has ordered testing at all colleges and universities, NDTV reported.
The Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan mentioned that the students are reported to be in stable condition.
IIT-Madras has closed its departments, centres, labs and the library earlier this week citing the spurt in coronavirus cases in hostels.
Close to 1,000 IIT students and mess workers have been tested so far.
According to reports, the IIT administration is now sending packed food to students at hostels. Other colleges and universities that have only one mess or dining hall too have been asked to give only take-aways to students in hostels.
IIT-Madras has instructed faculty and students to work from home.
"Preliminary analysis based on our epidemiologist's report suggests that because only 778 students were there, eating from a single mess... That could perhaps be the main reason. 16 mess workers have also tested positive," Mr Radhakrishnan said.
