Kerala - Alappuzha

Medical college hostel closed

ALAPPUZHA: The T.D. Medical College here has been closed a week ahead of the scheduled Onam holidays on account of a jaundice outbreak at one of its hostels on the Vandanam campus.

According to Principal K.N. Lyla, the decision to close the college was taken after three students in one of the two boys’ hostels on the campus were confirmed as having contracted Hepatitis A. Four others, who were suffering from fever, were also suspected to have contracted the disease, but a confirmation was awaited in their cases.

The three students, all third-year MBBS students, were confirmed to have the virus three days back, Dr. Lyla said. Water samples from the hostel’s water tank were being analysed in the college’s microbiology lab after allegations of contaminated water supply.

“We believe they may have contracted the virus after consuming outside food. If contaminated water was the reason, more students would have been in danger, as it is from the same water tank that water is supplied to the two boys’ hostels and one girls’ hostel. However, we are testing the water just to make sure it is not contaminated,” she said.

The college authorities have also written to the Controller of Examinations of the Kerala University to postpone the ongoing third-year professional MBBS Part I examinations following the “outbreak”. A decision was awaited in this regard, the Principal said.

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