Coronavirus Surge Continues At Fairfield University
FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield University continues to report large numbers of positive coronavirus tests after the school last week banned students living in the beach area from campus amid an increase in cases.
The university reported an additional 57 positive tests between Friday and Monday, according to school data. Last week, from Oct. 6 to Oct. 8, the university confirmed 61 cases. The school has seen a total of 237 positive tests since Sept. 1.
“… it is essential that our University community remain vigilant and proactive in our approach to this situation, to ensure that we can continue to perform our mission,” President Mark Nemec said last week in an email addressing the new restrictions.
In addition to being banned from campus, beach area students must stay in their houses and yards, and limit interaction to roommates. The ban is in place through Oct. 23. Students at the university’s Claver Hall dorm, which also experienced a high number of cases, are required through Tuesday to remain in their rooms and interact only with suite mates. Those who don’t comply with virus prevention protocols risk expulsion.
The town of Fairfield as of Wednesday had recorded 989 total coronavirus cases since the pandemic reached Connecticut in March, an increase of more than 200 cases in the last month, according to state numbers. Due to data reporting issues, Wednesday’s published town total included only 192 of the 341 cases recorded at Fairfield University and among the on-campus population at Sacred Heart University, according to the Fairfield Health Department website. The town total is expected to increase as the reporting issues are resolved.
First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick addressed Fairfield University’s recent spike Friday in an email to residents.
“While it's not unexpected that we have an increase in positive cases in our community after opening our 16 public schools and two universities, I want to remind everyone that as a community, we must double down on our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and continue to do our part to follow the CDC guidelines,” she said.
This article originally appeared on the Fairfield Patch
