Response to an Outbreak of COVID-19 Infection Among Undergraduate Medical Students in Mumbai, Maharashtra

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease. The most effective way to slow down the transmission is by social distancing and following all the preventive protocols. Aim: To describe the outbreak of COVID-19 in forty Undergraduate (UG) medical students of a medical college in Mumbai during September 2021 steps taken to control the spread as well as to break the chain of transmission of COVID19 infection. Materials and Methods: The institutional contact tracing team contacted the positive case and identified contacts as soon as they were notified during September 2021 at Seth GSMC & KEMH, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. A total of 40 students were isolated due to the contraction of COVID infection. History was taken by telephonic calls. Meetings were held among the institute and hostel authorities to prevent the spread. All the contacts of positive cases were separated in a quarantine facility. COVID appropriate behaviour (CAB) was implemented strictly and swab of symptomatic students was taken for Reverse TranscriptasePolymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Non-academic leisure activities were suspended temporarily. Academic lectures were shifted to an online platform. Results: This outbreak lasted over a period of 10 days, a total of 40 students were isolated and 89 students were quarantined. Most of the students who were infected were residing in the hostels, 27 (67.5%) and had come in contact with other positive students during the college’s cultural fest. Majority of positive cases had received both doses of COVID vaccination. Mild symptoms were present in 87.5% students and rest were asymptomatic. Cases were detected from the same cluster of students and follow-up was done for the next two weeks. Conclusion: Strategies like scheduled testing for in-campus students, strict implementation of CAB and temporary withdrawal of activities which causes gathering helped effectively to control the spread.