COVID-19 Testing Update, Aug. 22-28

Duke University’s comprehensive COVID-19 testing program received results from 5,639 tests administered to students, faculty and staff from August 22-28. In total, nine individuals tested positive.

Summary:

5,355 tests were administered to asymptomatic students; there were three positive results and all are now isolation. In addition, three students reported symptoms and all tested positive. Eleven students who had previously tested positive were cleared to return to campus.

284 tests were administered to faculty/staff; there were three positive results and all individuals are isolating at home. Three faculty/staff who had been in isolation were cleared to return to normal activities.

Duke has administered 17,040 tests to students, faculty and staff since August 2 and has recorded 46 positive results; 31 of those individuals have been cleared to return to normal activity.

Three types of tests were administered in this period:

1. Gateway/Baseline testing, which is an individual test required for all students upon arrival to campus and before they can move into Duke housing or take classes on campus
2. Pooled surveillance testing for asymptomatic students, faculty, and staff who are on campus regularly and interact with others on campus
3. Clinical testing for individuals who report symptoms

Student testing results from this period:

• 5,358 students were tested
  • 1,170 incoming graduate and professional students completed gateway/baseline testing
  • 4,185 current students were selected for the university’s pooled surveillance testing program 
  • Three students were tested because they reported symptoms
• Six students tested positive during this period, three symptomatic and three asymptomatic; all are in isolation and being monitored by Duke Student Health and continuing their coursework remotely
• Surveillance testing included students living on- and off-campus
• Duke has more than 300 individual beds for students who need to be moved to a secure and supportive isolation facility

Students cleared to return to activities during this period:

• 11 students who previously tested positive were cleared to return to campus after being in isolation
• 87 students who had been in precautionary quarantine due to contact tracing were released

Contact tracing and precautionary quarantine for students during this period:

• 54 students were placed in precautionary quarantine because they were found to have been potentially exposed to an individual who tested positive; these students are being monitored by Duke Student Health and continuing their coursework remotely

Faculty and staff testing results from this period:

• 284 tests were administered to faculty and staff, including 153 through the surveillance program and 131 to individuals who reported symptoms.
• Three faculty/staff members received positive test results; all are in isolation at their homes
• Three faculty/staff members who had previously tested positive have recovered and were cleared to return to normal activities
• Fourteen faculty/staff members were asked to quarantine as a result of contact tracing and eleven employees were released from quarantine and cleared to return to work.

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