Fifty-one positive COVID-19 cases were reported last week by the University of St. Thomas’ Center for Well-Being Monday, five less than the previous week.
One employee and 50 students tested positive, with all but two coming from the St. Paul campus.
No evidence shows classroom or lab transmission, according to the message on the COVID-19 Dashboard.
“The bulk of the transmission appears to be within groups of students living together both on and off campus or groups of students who have gathered in small groups without distancing and/or mask,” the dashboard message said.
Residents of the second floor of Brady Hall were asked to quarantine Thursday after five residents on the floor tested positive. 20 of the 23 administered tests have been returned, with only one additional test coming back positive, according to the dashboard.
This announcement comes as a shock to Brady Hall second floor resident Anna Singewald.
“Honestly, as an entire floor we’re genuinely surprised that it’s our floor out of the whole university,” Singewald said. “We don’t have parties happening on our floor, we got a lot of people who are in sports, people who are committed to their studies.”
For one resident, this is her second time being quarantined in a week.
“My roommate was just quarantined for two weeks and now she has to go back into quarantine for another two weeks,” resident Kenzie Miller said.
St. Thomas continues to report more than 50% availability in its quarantine and isolation spaces on campus, according to the dashboard.
Campus contact tracers are able to interview 90-100% of positive tests reported to the university within 24 hours and testing supplies and personal protective equipment remain at good levels on campus, the dashboard said.
These numbers come from tests conducted at the Center for Well-Being and self-reported tests.
According to the university’s COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 “are expected to stay home until they have been fever-free for 72 hours (without use of medicine that reduces fever) and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and other symptoms have improved.”
The plan also requires 14 days of quarantine for community members who have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
COVID-19 data is released by St. Thomas weekly on Mondays and can be found on the university’s COVID-19 Dashboard.
Singewald has a message for students who are choosing not to social distance.
“It’s a little frustrating when people choose their own actions but don’t realize that their actions affect others,” Singewald said.
Joey Swanson can be reached at swan5350@stthomas.edu.
Justin Amaker can be reached at justin.amaker@stthomas.edu.
Maggie Stout can be reached at maggie.stout@stthomas.edu.