Covid Effect: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University In J&K Closed After 13 Students Test Positive

Reasi District Magistrate Charandeep Singh directed the university management to close the campus till further orders to ensure the students’ safety.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University in Katra (Image: @SMVDUniversity)

Katra: Thirteen students of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra have tested Covid-19 positive, forcing the district management to order the closure of the varsity campus.

Reasi District Magistrate Charandeep Singh directed the university management to close the campus till further orders to ensure the students’ safety.

The Covid-19 tests of the university students were done earlier on December 31 last year, said the Chief Medical Officer of Reasi, ANI reported.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir earlier on Saturday recorded 169 fresh coronavirus cases.

A media bulletin on Covid-19 released by the Jammu and Kashmir government said 68 cases were recorded in Jammu, while 101 cases were reported from Kashmir.

Around 107 patients were discharged on Saturday after recovering from Covid-19, while two deaths were reported due to the novel coronavirus.

There are a total of 1,397 active cases, including 470 in Jammu and 927 in Kashmir, according to the government.

Earlier on Saturday, at least 12 pilgrims died and 16 others were injured at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu as a crowd surge on the occasion of New Year led to a stampede.

In view of the rising cases of Covid-19, the Centre earlier on Saturday asked the states and Union Territories to initiate creation of field or makeshift hospitals to augment availability of health infrastructure.

“To address a potential surge in cases, with a view to ensure preparedness states are advised to initiate creation of field/makeshift hospitals to augment availability of health infrastructure. This can be done with coordination with DRDO & CSIR as well as the private sector, corporations, NGOs etc. This will aid the process of rapid creation of field hospitals or temporary hospital set-ups,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in his letter to the chief secretaries of all states and Union Territories.

“States may also consider leveraging hotel rooms and other accommodations’ linked with the COVID dedicated hospitals in Government and private sector to cater to patients having mild to moderate symptoms of Covid-19, as was done in some states during the earlier surge in cases,” he added.