14 Graduate/Professional Students, Eight Undergraduates and Four Faculty/Staff Test Positive, Feb. 22-28

Duke University’s comprehensive COVID-19 testing and contact tracing program administered 20,374 tests to 10,430 students and 2,771 tests to 1,513 faculty/staff for the period Feb. 22-28, with a total of 26 positive results.

Among students there were 22 positive results, primarily among graduate and professional students. Positive cases were identified through surveillance testing for asymptomatic students as well as tests for those exhibiting symptoms. The individuals who tested positive have been placed in isolation, while those identified as potential contacts have been placed in precautionary quarantine. The total positivity rate was 0.11%.

Summary of results from this period:

• 20,293 surveillance tests were administered to asymptomatic undergraduate and graduate students who are living on and off campus with nine positive results
• 81 tests were administered to students who reported symptoms or were identified through contact tracing with 13 positive results
• 2,672 surveillance tests were administered to asymptomatic faculty/staff who are working on campus this semester and are voluntarily participating in the testing program with one positive result
• 99 tests were administered to faculty/staff who reported symptoms or were identified through contact tracing with three positive results
• All individuals who test positive are required to observe an isolation period until they are cleared to return to normal activities; contact tracing is underway to identify those who may have been exposed and ask them to quarantine
• Eleven students who had been in isolation and 75 who had been in precautionary quarantine were cleared to return to normal activities

Notes:

• All students who are placed in precautionary quarantine or isolation are monitored by Duke Student Health and have the ability to continue their coursework remotely
• Duke has more than 300 individual beds for students who live in Duke-provided housing and are identified for isolation or quarantine
• Students who live in Duke-provided housing will be isolated or quarantined in campus facilities; students who live off campus must isolate or quarantine in their residence.
• Tests administered to student-athletes are included in these results

Types of tests administered in this period:

1. Surveillance testing for asymptomatic students (on and off campus) and faculty/staff
2. Clinical testing for individuals who report symptoms or who are identified through contact tracing

More information on Duke’s COVID-19 testing program can be found at https://coronavirus.duke.edu/covid-testing/. Results are updated every Tuesday morning.