At least 250 students and staff across the campuses of six Pennsylvania universities have tested positive for the coronavirus, as of Friday, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer. The reports come as students finished either their first or second week of classes, depending on the school.
Temple University reached 58 cases by the end of Friday. There, about 9,000 students have returned to campus, a third of the usual number, for classes that are being held remotely or using a hybrid model. By Friday, Villanova University reported 13 cases, St. Joseph’s University confirmed 12, Pennsylvania State University reported 31 and The University of Pittsburgh reported 22. According to The Inquirer, both Penn State and Temple conducted more than 5,000 tests in their first week of classes.
“The percentage remains quite low” of people who tested positive, said Temple spokesperson Ray Betzner, according to The Inquirer.
Bloomsburg University, which began classes earlier on Aug. 17, has confirmed 118 cases on its campus. In response, it moved to almost all remote instruction earlier last week.
