When the University of Auburn on Monday published its latest data from its COVID-19 tests, it appeared that the number of positive cases had multiplied more than five times.
In the week of August 15-21, it registered 208 total positive cases, up from 41 the week before. Of the positive cases, 203 were students, while five were employees. All but one of the cases are on Auburn’s main campus. The other is a student who tested positive at AU Airport.
The data does not include results of the retesting program according to the Auburn website. These results will not be added until all re-entry tests are complete and the receipts for all results are in. Individuals who tested positive were counted only once, so if they were positive from the week of August 8-14, they were not counted in the latest results.
Auburn did not report how many tests it has issued.
Since Auburn began testing on March 16, it has had 557 cases. 545 of them were on the main campus, while 10 were at the airport, one was at Harris Early Learning Center in Birmingham and one at the pharmacy school in Mobile.
The numbers reported Monday came after the first weekend students returned to Auburn when many were seen hitting the beams. However, the tests were taken before the weekend of August 22-23, in which hundreds of students were packed into the beams, prompting Auburn University to launch an investigation.
As of Monday, Auburn is still holding some instructions for individuals.
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