Story at a glance
- Members of an Oklahoma State University sorority are being quarantined after 23 cases were identified.
- The school will continue to reopen.
A sorority chapter based at Oklahoma State University reported a coronavirus outbreak Saturday involving more than 20 of its sisters, resulting in a group quarantine, according to NBC News.
The university has opened for students and faculty to return for in-person classes this fall, a decision many colleges and universities are reckoning with as the virus continues to spread, showing little signs of slowing in the U.S.
“Due to the nature of this situation, the entire chapter house is in isolation or quarantine and will be prohibited from leaving the facility,” the school reportedly said. “One member of the sorority who lives elsewhere is among those who tested positive and will also remain in isolation.”
FAUCI WARNS YOUNG PEOPLE THEY ARE NOT IMMUNE TO ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CORONAVIRUS
12 STATES SHOW RECORD SPIKES IN CORONAVIRUS CASES
HERE ARE THE 6 WAYS THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC COULD END
Twenty-three positive cases were reported among the inhabitants of an off-campus sorority home near the university’s Stillwater campus, detected by rapid antigen testing performed at an off-campus clinic, according to a university statement.
The university and the Payne County Health Department are monitoring the outbreak.
Greek organizations, as well as other congregate groups, have been highly susceptible to COVID-19 outbreaks. Earlier in the pandemic, the University of California-Berkeley saw an outbreak linked to a fraternity party, with 121 students’ tests coming back positive. Other Greek life outbreaks have occurred at the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern California.
Oklahoma State plans to continue its in-person reopening. According to its website, it will begin Phase 5, which will last from Aug. 18 to Thanksgiving break. Key components of this step include continued campus health promotion, education and public health adherence, collaboration with local health departments, monitoring regional developments and flu vaccination distribution.
Face coverings, social distancing and frequent hand washing are mandated for the entire campus community.
Some colleges have elected to shut their doors for the forthcoming semester, including Harvard and Johns Hopkins University.
Statewide, Oklahoma reports 48,771 confirmed cases, an increase by a day-over-day rate of 1.1 percent as of Monday.
CORONAVIRUS MAY CONTINUE TO ‘HOPSCOTCH’ ACROSS THE US
400,000 CALL ON CONGRESS TO EASE HOUSING CONCERNS FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES IMPACTED BY CORONAVIRUS
I’M A FOREIGN-BORN DOCTOR FIGHTING AMERICA’S WAR AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS. THE US NEEDS MORE OF US
WOMEN AND THE HIDDEN BURDEN OF THE CORONAVIRUS
HOW THE CORONAVIRUS IS THREATENING THE 2020 CENSUS
changing america copyright.
