Duke reports nine new positive COVID-19 tests for students, eight for faculty and staff out of 15,578 total

There were 17 new positive coronavirus tests reported at Duke between Oct. 24 and Oct. 30, out of 15,578 total tests, according to data released Monday on the University’s COVID-19 testing tracker.

Among students, there were nine positive coronavirus tests out of 13,897 total, for a positivity rate of 0.06%. Six undergraduates tested positive along with three graduate or professional students, according to a news release. 

The nine cases include five positives among students who participated in surveillance testing, out of 13,798 total tests. Additionally, four of 99 tests were positive among students who had symptoms or were determined to have been in close contact with someone who tested positive.

There were also eight new positive tests among faculty and staff out of 1,681 total, for a positivity rate of 0.48%. That number includes no positive surveillance tests out of 1,513 total, and eight positives out of 168 tests conducted on faculty and staff who had symptoms or were determined to have been in close contact with someone who had a positive COVID-19 test.  

In total, 112 people were placed in precautionary quarantine and 162 were released, according to Monday’s update. A total of 17 people were placed in isolation and 23 were cleared to leave. 

Since Aug. 2, Duke has administered 133,756 tests and reported a total of 165 positives among faculty, staff and students. The University has conducted multiple kinds of testing, including entry testing of every returning student, testing based on contact tracing and pooled surveillance testing of asymptomatic people. 

Separately, Duke reported 26 positive tests among student-athletes, who began a phased return to campus July 12.