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82 Test Positive for COVID, Jan. 18-24

graphic for Duke COVID Testing Results

Duke University’s comprehensive COVID-19 testing and contact tracing program administered 27,865 tests to students and 2,716 tests to faculty/staff for the period Jan. 18-24, with a total of 82 positive results.

Among students – who were required to be tested before they could begin their classes and on-campus activities – there were 62 positive results, identified through gateway testing and frequent 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 0.27 percent.

Summary of results from this period:

  • 2,993 baseline/gateway tests were administered to returning students who will be living or studying on campus this semester with 16 positive results
  • 24,683 surveillance tests were administered to asymptomatic students who are living on and off campus with 25 positive results
  • 189 tests were administered to students who reported symptoms or were identified through contact tracing with 21 positive results
  • One cluster (defined as five or more individuals living or working in close proximity) was identified among students living in an off-campus location.  The individuals who tested positive were placed in isolation and contact tracing resulted in additional students being placed in quarantine.
  • Frequent surveillance testing continues in order to identify positive cases as early as possible after exposure among asymptomatic students
  • 2,581 surveillance tests were administered to asymptomatic faculty/staff who will be working on campus this semester and have volunteered to participate in the testing program with three positive results
  • 135 tests were administered to faculty/staff who reported symptoms or were identified through contact tracing with 17 positive results
  • There has been no identified workplace or classroom transmission among faculty/staff
  • 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
  • 47 students who had been in isolation and 134 who had been in precautionary quarantine were cleared to return to campus

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. 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. Surveillance testing for asymptomatic students and faculty/staff
  3. 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.