At One Flagship, Coronavirus Cases Surge Even in the Midst of Summer – The Chronicle of Higher Education
Fall classes aren’t scheduled to begin until August at the University of South Carolina at Columbia. But officials are already worried about a recent spike in coronavirus cases among students.
The president, Robert L. Caslen, attributed the cases — an increase of 79 in eight days — to off-campus gatherings in nearby neighborhoods and bars. “That’s concerning,” he said during a town-hall meeting on Tuesday. “It has our attention.”
The university’s flagship campus as of June 21 had counted 204 student cases — a cumulative total going back to March. But in recent days, the count has risen quickly. It was at 125 cases on June 13 and at 174 cases on June 15, Caslen said.
Such an outbreak underscores a harsh reality for colleges as they plan for the fall semester: They can do only so much to control student behavior, especially when students leave the campus.
Other neighborhoods near American campuses have reported outbreaks this summer, too. The Ingham County Health Department, in Michigan, said 34 people had tested positive this month after visiting Harper’s Restaurant and Brew Pub, in East Lansing, near Michigan State University.