EUGENE, Ore. — The University of Oregon is reporting that dozens of students have tested positive for COVID-19.
The university’s website showed on Monday that 57 coronavirus cases had been confirmed in the previous four days alone. On Tuesday, the university reported 12 more cases for a total this month of 69 cases.
Only one of the students who tested positive in October lives in on-campus housing, officials said. The rest live off campus. The surge in cases comes at the beginning of the school year, KEZI-TV reported.
Cases have been climbing since about Sept. 22, when the university reported 15 cases. Every day since then, at least six additional cases have been reported. Officials said students who live on campus and test positive for the disease are “in isolation” while they recover.
University of Oregon has reported a total of 220 cases since June 1.
Also on Monday, the Register-Guard reported that four people were cited by city and university police on Saturday for hosting a party for between 100 and 150 mostly college-age people off campus.
Lane County Public Health officials have urged the community to stop gatherings, in particular, college parties, which have now led to multiple COVID-19 outbreaks.
Lane County is currently in Phase 2 of pandemic reopening, meaning all indoor gatherings are capped at 10 people.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some — especially older adults and people with existing health problems — it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
