PU hostel row: Three staffers test positive

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17

Three staff members are reported to have tested Covid-19 positive while the results of two more are awaited. A total of 33 samples were collected from girls’ hostels (no. 1 & 2) of Panjab University.

No decision on vacating hostels

While cases were reported in hostels, the PU authorities have decided to keep silent on the issue of vacating hotels. The students were requested to vacate the hostels before May 15. However, after protests and issues raised by the student groups, the authorities failed to come to any decision.

A team of the UT Health Department collected the samples at these two hostels yesterday. While 34 hostellers were scheduled to undergo the test, only three agreed to give samples.

As many as 17 staff members from girls’ hostel number 1 and 14 from girls’ hotel number 2 underwent testing. The cooks of messes are asked to undergo self-isolation, said sources.

“A total of seven girls are residing in girls’ hostel no. 1. Only three girls have given the samples and all are found to be negative. As many as 16 hostel staff and mess workers gave samples, of whom two (both cleaners) have tested positive. Two persons (a peon and a cook) have been asked to undergo re-sampling. One person’s (mess worker) record was not found due to an incorrect mobile number recorded by the health team.

“Earlier, two attendants from this hostel were reported to be positive. The working staff here have now been reduced to one clerk, one peon and two cleaners only,” said a PU spokesperson.

“No sample was given by any resident of girls’ hostel no. 2. As many as 14 hostel staff and canteen workers underwent test. One person was found to be Covid positive. Earlier this month, three persons were reported to be infected with the virus. One person’s (canteen worker) report has been sent for re-sampling while the record of another was found to be incorrect,” he added.