Kochi : The School of Engineering (SoE) at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) has suspended offline classes and postponed ongoing examinations for a week after 12 students were found to have chickenpox and several others developed symptoms of the disease. The classes at SoE will continue through online mode.




A health department team visited the campus following reports.




“The initial cases were reported at a private PG hostel near Cusat. A student from Kozhikode was the first to be infected. Later, his batchmate also developed symptoms,” a health department official said.




As the number of suspected cases increased, students wrote to SoE principal Abdulla P , seeking suspension of classes over concerns about the possible transmission of the infection.




“More than three students from our class have recently been affected by chickenpox. These students had actively participated in the Union Valedictory Programme and the Awaaz programme, where they came in direct contact with a large number of students. As a result, several students from our class have also had direct contact with the affected students,” wrote Vinayak Anurag , a student at the school associated with Kerala Students Union (KSU), in a letter to the principal.




Speaking to TOI, Abdulla said the situation was not severe as the number of confirmed cases remained low, with several others being suspected cases. “After discussions with the health department officials, we decided to move classes to online mode and postpone the examinations,” he said.




Abdulla said some students had left their hostels amid concerns over the infection. “We had switched classes to online mode for electronics and communication, but students from other departments also made a request. So, we decided to shift all the classes at SoE to online mode,” he said.




According to the health department officials, those infected are instructed to remain in isolation, while students suspected of having the infection should be quarantined.




“The infection can spread two to three days before the appearance of vesicles. The spread is through droplets and not through the vesicles,” the official said.