Duke’s testing numbers declined for the second week in a row following the stay-in-place order earlier this month.
Twenty-five students and 18 faculty and staff tested positive for COVID-19 out of 21,943 tests between Mar. 23 and Mar. 29, according to data Duke released Tuesday on its testing tracker.
A total of 19,448 tests were administered to students last week. Of these, 19,364 tests were administered through the surveillance testing program, of which which 22 came back positive for a positivity rate of 0.11%. The remaining 84 tests were given to those who were symptomatic or contact traced, and three of these students tested positive for a positivity rate of 3.57%. The overall positivity rate for students was 0.13%.
The overall positivity rate for faculty and staff was 0.72%, an increase from last week. Of the 2,412 surveillance tests administered to faculty and staff, seven came back positive for a positivity rate of 0.29%. Eleven out of 83 faculty and staff who were symptomatic or contact traced tested positive, for a positivity rate of 13.25%.
Over the weekend, the University announced that East Campus Union would be closed until further notice due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among dining staff.
Beginning Wednesday all students living in congregate living facilities will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine per North Carolina state guidelines. Beginning April 7, all adults in North Carolina will qualify for the vaccine.
Duke will begin vaccinating students Thursday. Duke Student Health and Duke Employee Occupational Health and Wellness announced in a Monday email. Students will be offered the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires one dose.
The Monday email emphasized that vaccinated students will not be exempt from Duke’s safety guidelines.
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Nadia Bey, Trinity '23, was managing editor for The Chronicle's 117th volume and digital strategy director for Volume 118.
Anna Zolotor is a Trinity senior and recruitment chair for The Chronicle's 118th volume. She was previously news editor for Volume 117.