Silchar: Tension and anxiety have gripped the NIT (National Institute of Technology) in Silchar after tuberculosis cases were detected among its students. The situation prompted NIT Silchar authorities to issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure the safety of students from further infection.
Dr. Ratna Chakraborty from the district Tuberculosis Centre revealed that a NIT Silchar student from Bangladesh was diagnosed with tuberculosis and confirmed microbiologically back in February this year. The infected student has been isolated and sent home after undergoing necessary tests. Following government guidelines for contact tracing, further examinations were conducted, leading to the detection of at least five students with latent TB infection. Dr. Chakraborty clarified that latent TB infection is not contagious, and affected individuals are not potential carriers of the disease.
“Three of the students were asymptomatic. Those testing positive for latent infection received TB preventive therapy in accordance with the latest government guidelines aimed at eliminating TB by 2025,” Dr. Chakraborty stated.
Responding to the situation, health authorities conducted screening tests among 200 students on Tuesday. Of these, 30 students exhibited symptoms of TB, and their samples were sent for the CBNAAT test at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH).
In November 2023, Over 40 students suffered food poisoning at the same institute, with several requiring intravenous treatment due to severe symptoms, particularly intense diarrhoea and dehydration. Following the outbreak, officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) visited the campus to investigate the outbreak and provide expertise in assessing food safety protocols.
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