Duke University officials issued a stay-in-place order for all undergraduate students from now through next Sunday as the school tries to combat a quick spike in the number of cases of COVID-19.
According to CNN, University officials sent a letter to students yesterday informing them that more than 180 students have tested positive for Covid-19 and are now in isolation, while an additional 200 are under orders for quarantine-based lockdown due to contact tracing.
Officials believe the recent spike is “principally driven by students attending recruitment parties for selective living groups,” the letter stated. Officials also noted that this is the largest one-week total of positive cases and quarantines since the pandemic began.
Officials have shifted all courses will shift to remote learning, and students living on campus must stay in their room or apartment at all times outside of essential activities, like getting food or for health or safety reasons.
Students who live off-campus are not permitted on campus other than to participate in surveillance testing, seek medical care, or to pick up their food orders.
