Chennai, Dec 14 (IANS): One of the premier technical institutions Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) has turned into a Covid-19 cluster with about 71 cases reported till date and some more are expected.

The students allege the IIT-M's decision to run only one mess is the reason for the large scale spread of coronavirus. In the mess one cannot be wearing a mask and a congregation of good number of persons in the mess is ripe cause for disaster.

A total of 774 students are in the campus and most of those who were infected were residents of two hostels -- Krishna and Jamuna.

On its part, IIT-M has decided to shutdown all its departments, centres and asked their staff to work from home and anyone with the symptons like fever, dry cough, sore throat, diarrhoea, loss of taste/smell, or any other symptoms have been requested to get in touch the hospital officials.

The post graduate students, research scholars and others have been asked to be confined to their rooms with arrangements made to deliver food to their rooms.

On Sunday 32 fresh coronavirus infected cases were reported and the Tamil Nadu government has instructed that all the students be tested for the virus infection.

A total of 66 students and five staff members have tested positive for coronavirus infection.

According to officials, the students who had returned to the campus were quarantined for two weeks, but the quarantining capacity is limited.

Those who have been infected with coronavirus are progressing well, officials said.