All but one of the students were infected with the coronavirus. Most of those students lived on campus, the university said, adding that the infections were associated with “off-campus meetings where no masks were worn or physical distance observed.”
“The purpose of these temporary restrictions is to contain the spread of the virus so that we can return to instruction in person,” Jenkins said. “If these steps are not successful, we will have to send students home as we did last spring.”
The midweek increase to more than 140 infected students comes after the school recorded 67 confirmed cases at the beginning of the week. Notre Dame conducted 418 coronavirus tests on Monday, according to statistics provided by school staff. Of these, 80 were positive, a rate of 19 percent.
The university had students welcome back to campus for the fall semester on August 10, two weeks earlier than originally planned and had planned to end the semester before Thanksgiving.
Notre Dame’s decision to switch to online learning is the second shutdown of a major university due to the virus in so many days. On Monday, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced a sharp pivot of instruction-only instruction for undergraduates after dozens of students living in dorms and a fraternal home tested positive for coronavirus.
Other colleges across the country have also experienced an uptick of infections within days of students returning to campus. While students may remain socially distancing guidelines and wear mandates on mask on campus, it has been challenging to get them to behave elsewhere.
Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., Reported a cluster of 46 confirmed cases of coronavirus through mandatory entrance tests, although many students are still waiting for results. A Oklahoma State University sorority house is also under quarantine after reporting 23 cases.
Michigan State University also announced Tuesday that it has revoked its plan to bring students back to campus prior to its Sept. 2.
“Given the current status of the virus in our country,” wrote Michigan’s president, Michigan Stanley, of Michigan, “in particular what we see at other institutions as they repopulate their campus communities – it has become clear to me that, despite our best efforts and strong planning, it is unlikely that we will be able to prevent extensive transmission of COVID-19 between students when our undergraduate returns to campus. ”
Stanley has asked undergraduate students who plan to live in dorms to stay home. Refunds and credits will be issued, he said, and a small number of students will be allowed to stay in dorms. He also encouraged students living off campus to stay in their ‘home community’.
Not all colleges have started their fall semesters. Those intending to start in late August and September could reconsider their plans on campus to avoid a wave of similar outbreaks if students do not follow rules and guidelines mandating masks and social distance.
At Notre Dame, officials said the vast majority of new cases from an initial spike in cases last week “could be traced to a single off-campus meeting.”
In May, the president of Notre Dame instructed faculties to prepare for courses offered both in person and through distance instruction, in case students need to isolate or quarantine, or in case of an outbreak.
“Bringing our students is in collaboration a small town of people from many parts of the nation and the world, who may bring pathogens where they are exposed,” Jenkins said in May when he outlined the fall plans. of the university expert. “We recognize the challenge, but we believe it is someone we can meet.”
