Two more universities reported cases of coronavirus among students living in Greek on Tuesday, a day after Oklahoma State University began its semester with a high level of quarantine.
At Auburn University, a fraternity school and one floor of a sorority dormitory were placed under a two-week quarantine after an unofficial number of students associated with the housing tested positive for the virus, NBC branch WSAV reported in Savannah, Georgia.
North Carolina State University said it has identified a coronavirus cluster, as well as a number of separate cases within the Greek life community, NBC affiliate WRAL in Raleigh reported.
The cluster, which the state defines as five or more linked cases, was tied to an off-campus residence in Raleigh.
“Several individuals who test positive as part of this cluster have been identified, including some who are NC State students,” a university statement said. “Contact tracking was initiated with direct communication to anyone who was known to be in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19.”
The school statement said a party was held in the off-campus housing on August 6 and anyone who was at that party is encouraged to follow up with a doctor as well as student health services.
A university spokesman said eight members of fraternities and sororities at the school had positive tests for coronavirus, WRAL reported. Since the cases are consolidated in six separate fraternities as sororities but not in one house, these cases are not considered as a cluster.
School officials did not immediately respond to messages seeking information about the cluster and the cases related to the fraternities and sororities. But the university reported 27 new positive cases among students as of Wednesday, on top of 41 students testing positive for the coronavirus between August 11 and 17.
Auburn University officials did not immediately return comments from NBC News on Wednesday for comment. The school on Tuesday announced that masks were required to be worn both indoors and outdoors on campus.
On Monday, Oklahoma State University began its semester with the entire Pi Beta Phi-sorority under quarantine after 23 members tested positive for the coronavirus.
