AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts has surpassed 400 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases among its community as cases continue to surge across the state and around the country.
In the last week of reported data from Nov. 13-20, the university recorded three individual days of between 18 and 24 cases, according to the UMass COVID-19 dashboard. During that weeklong period, the college reported 91 cases overall.
Most cases have been among off-campus students, who represent 354 positive cases. Twenty-four on campus students have tested positive, as well as 20 staff and three faculty members.
As Thanksgiving approaches, the university “saw a significant number of students getting tested last week,” according to campus spokeswoman Mary Dettloff, and a high number of students were also tested on Monday.
“I suspect these high numbers are due to the messaging on getting tested before they left the area and return home,” Dettloff said, adding that the university required students who live on campus to be tested before going home for the semester last week.
The university directs all students living on and off campus to be tested for COVID-19 twice per week.
UMass started the year with few COVID-19 cases and experienced its first jump in late September. Positive cases started to decline in early October, but began climbing again at the end of the month.
Classes ended last Friday, and students living on campus were sent home to complete their final exams remotely. After welcoming around 1,100 students to campus in the fall, the college plans to host around 60% of its usual 14,000 on-campus student population in the spring.
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.
